Gravity
by subcutaneous
Summary: Three years after Kate breaks up with Todd, she and Megan continue to negotiate the nature of their relationship. FEMSLASH
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I do not own these characters (of course), but I love them dearly and had a great time working with them once again. Tried to create much more build up in this one, and also played with the timeline a bit. Thanks to my beta for her endless support and inspiration. Hoping you all will enjoy it, and I look forward to hearing your feedback!

* * *

><p>Megan stood in front of Kate's office, hands trembling a little with the usual cocktail of nerves and parasthesia. She looked down at the small envelope she held, turning it over, admiring the swirls of lavender and turquoise decorating each side. She took a deep breath, slipped inside the office and cleared her throat as she approached Kate's desk.<p>

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"Just looking over the budget for the eight millionth time." Kate glanced up at her with a sarcastic smirk. "Come to chip away at it some more?"

"Not today," Megan assured. "Graduation is a week from Sunday. I was told to give this to you."

Kate stopped reading the spreadsheets on her desk. She slowly lifted her head and locked eyes with Megan, briefly scanning her face, trying to read her. She could never get a good read. As much as it aggravated her, she had also come to take a certain enjoyment in the mystery. People were too often predictable, and Dr. Hunt was anything but.

She reached out and took the card.

"Lacey would love for you to be there," Megan added.

Kate opened the envelope and glanced over it hesitantly.

"I don't know how much her father would appreciate it."

She ended her tumultuous affair with Megan's ex nearly three years ago, and since then they'd done their best to avoid each other. Megan's "I told you so" reaction only lasted for a few weeks. After that, even as time passed, things continued to be not-so-cozy but tolerable between them.

"Todd's an adult…sort of," Megan responded. "He'll deal with it."

"And you?"

Megan raised an eyebrow.

"Me?"

"How do you feel about me being there?"

"I have no objections to your friendship with Lacey," Megan genuinely offered. "She likes you, always has."

Kate smiled, softening a bit.

"I'll be there."

"Great."

Megan let out a small sigh, though not small enough for Kate to miss it.

"Something wrong?" she practically groaned. Megan's elusive brushes with friendship never lasted long.

"Nothing…you just never seemed to care about intruding before."

Kate turned red and rolled her eyes.

"Can we move on already? Please?"

"Gladly."

And with that Megan dramatically turned on her heels and left. Kate watched as her auburn hair swished back and forth.

* * *

><p>"Mom, stop!"<p>

Megan was trying to adjust Lacey's cap on her head, unloading bobby pin after bobby pin into her scalp.

"I'm trying to get it to stay."

"It's fine! I have to get in line."

"Just a few more and it should…"

"Jesus Christ, Megan, let her go!" Todd snapped.

Megan glared at him, made one final adjustment, and squeezed Lacey's shoulder before sending her on her way.

"I was just trying to help."

"Yeah, well if you ask me, you try a little too hard sometimes."

"Do you think you could keep your opinion of how lousy a mother I am to yourself for just this one day? This one, monumental day in our daughter's life? Because I really…"

She trailed off as she saw Todd visibly stiffen, only to note seconds later that Kate was approaching them. Her violet pencil skirt and cream colored lace blouse were perfect for a graduation, Megan thought. She had to admit: the woman knew how to dress.

"Todd, Megan," Kate greeted them.

"Great. Now we can be one big happy family," Todd fumed.

"I'm only here for Lacey."

"No kidding."

"Okay," Megan broke in before things got ugly. "Let's find our seats."

The ceremony lasted about two hours, though Megan made it about five minutes in before starting to cry. She tried her best to hide the proud, persistent tears streaming down her cheeks. Nevertheless, she was grateful when she felt Kate's hand gently grab her own, placing a tissue in it.

After the band finished Elgar's _Pomp and Circumstance_ for the final time, they met Lacey in the lobby of the auditorium. Megan finally got herself under control as Lacey hugged her, then Todd, then Kate. She was beginning to marvel at how easy this was.

By the time they were halfway through dinner, however, the pleasantries had worn off.

"I guess the 'honorable' Joan Hunt couldn't take a break from her campaign tour for her granddaughter's graduation," Todd sneered.

Megan looked at Lacey, who seemed barely affected by the comment, but enough for her to try to make things better.

"She'd be here if she could. She sent her love."

"And a check," Lacey joked, twirling her linguini with her fork.

"That's the Hunt way I guess," Todd shot back. "Throw enough money at someone and it's supposed to make up for everything else."

"Todd, what is with you?" Megan finally snapped. "This is Lacey's day, and you're acting even more childish than usual."

"I'm childish! I'd say I'm handling things rather maturely considering I've had to spend the entire day with two of my exes, not to mention that the two of you have become best friends."

Kate choked a little on her wine. "Hardly."

Megan looked at her, surprised by how much the comment stung, despite its truth.

"Dad, why are you sweating?"

Megan turned her attention back to Todd, who appeared paler than moments before.

"Todd?"

"I'm fine!"

"You don't look fine," Kate noted as she dipped her napkin in her water and attempted to wipe his brow. Todd swatted her away, gritting his teeth.

"Everyone… just…leave…" Todd began to stammer as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he slumped over in his chair. Believing at first that she must be dreaming, Megan hesitated to react. When she saw Lacey throw her arms around Todd, shaking him, she snapped back into reality. Kate already had her phone out and was dialing 911, but Megan somehow knew as she dashed to the other side of the table and checked for a pulse that calling the paramedics would be futile.

He was dead.

* * *

><p>Megan stood looking down at the body on the table, nauseous at the sight of a corpse for the first time in decades. She was beyond exhausted from consoling Lacey for the past few hours, an almost impossible task. She would never forget the screams emanating from her daughter as she desperately tried to revive Todd. Later, she rubbed Lacey's back as she sat on the curb outside the restaurant with her arms wrapped around her knees, shaking and rocking herself back and forth. Megan had held it together pretty well for her sake. Now, alone in the lab, she braced herself against the cold metal, gripping it tightly. She didn't quite know what to feel. She suspected most of her pain was residual from seeing her daughter so completely heartbroken. Still, as much as she had grown to hate Todd, there was too much history between them for her to not feel something of her own.<p>

As hard as it was to leave Lacey with her best friend's family, Megan knew she needed to do this for both of them. She never knew exactly why her own father died and it gnawed at her to this day. The reports said suicide, but she knew there was more to it than that. She didn't want Lacey to have any doubts, and that meant the best woman needed to do the job.

The clock continued to tick as she stared down at the body. She fixated on the eraser-like pink mole that lay buried beneath the chest hair near the left nipple. It would have been unremarkable to any other medical examiner, nothing to put in the notes. But Megan knew this body well. She could feel it without even touching it. Though she hadn't seen it in years, she was taken aback by how much she remembered.

"Megan…"

Megan gasped at the sound, not expecting anyone else to be there so late, especially considering she had demanded everyone leave her alone. She should have known her boss would not comply.

Megan looked up at Kate, whose eyes were filled with the thinnest layer of tears, glossed over enough to catch the light and make her blue irises really gleam. She breathed deeply, nostrils flaring as she peered over the body, attempting to maintain her composure while leaning against the doorframe. She then trailed her eyes up to Megan's. The two women stared at one another, at a complete loss for words. So much lay between them, more than there had ever been. Every awkward moment from the past few years seemed to manifest and dissipate all at once.

"Do you want…" Megan swallowed. "Will you…help?" she managed to sputter, not letting one more tear spill out for the day. She had met her quota.

Kate quickly donned a lab coat and gloves and joined Megan at the side of the table. Megan held out her hand, and for a moment she almost wished Kate would grab it as she had earlier that day, giving her some kind of comfort, but the blonde knew what she was asking for. She handed her the scalpel, and for the next hour the two seemed to work as one, each anticipating the other's needs, seamlessly and almost speechlessly performing the autopsy.

After sectioning several clogged arteries and severely deteriorated lungs, the two concurred that it had not been the stress of one day that had killed Todd. Years of smoking, poor diet and family medical history colluded to bring on his early demise. Megan briefly recalled the years she spent begging him to change his habits. All she had been able to do was make Todd promise not to smoke around Lacey and to feed her decently when he had custody. She had given up on him, but it was clear he had also given up on himself. As terrible as she felt for Lacey, her own sentimentality began to fade, anger taking its place. She did not feel sorry for him.

"Want me to finish sterilizing these so you can get Lacey?" Kate interrupted her thoughts.

"It's almost midnight," Megan murmured. "I don't want to wake her if she managed to fall asleep."

Kate nodded. Megan watched as she washed the tools in the tray, shaking her head a little, trying to get her bangs to stay out of her face. Megan walked over to the sink and, almost in a daze, reached out and pushed the stray blonde locks behind Kate's ear. Kate froze for a moment, then looked to Megan as she continued to run the water over their instruments.

"Thank you."

Megan nodded.

"I mean… for everything," Kate continued. "For letting me assist you."

"I figured you had a right. Maybe more than me."

"My connection pales in comparison."

Megan shrugged. "I'm grateful you were here. I practically forgot how to make an incision."

Kate managed a soft chuckle. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

Megan smiled. She couldn't believe this woman, whom she could barely stand for most of their acquaintance, had been so vital to getting through the day.

"Well," Kate spoke as she dried her hands. "I think we should both attempt to get some rest."

Megan nodded again silently, not really wanting to go home to an empty apartment, but knowing she had no alternative.

The two rode down in the elevator together. When they got to their cars, Megan turned to Kate again.

"It pains me to even ask this, but I think I may need to take the next few days off. Trust me, if I didn't…"

"Take as much time as you need," Kate interrupted. "Well…not too much."

Megan smirked. "What would you do without me?"

Kate rolled her eyes, but smiled genuinely. Megan's cheeks flushed. Attributing it to exhaustion, she quickly said goodbye and got into her car. She put the air conditioner on full blast and fought back more tears the whole way home.


	2. Chapter 2

The funeral was a week later. A few dozen people gathered around the casket as it was lowered into the ground, mostly Todd's business partners, fellow lawyers and family. Megan stood with Lacey near the head of the coffin, where the Presbyterian minister mumbled words that were supposed to be comforting, but Megan barely heard them. She seemed to tune out all sound, simply feeling her daughter's shoulders shake as she kept an arm around her. Otherwise, she numbed herself to any morsel of sympathy she had left for Todd. She mentally checked out from the glares of those who chose sides during the divorce and continued to judge her now.

She watched the squirrels running back and forth on the branch above them, following their movements from limb to limb and down to the ground. She finally noticed Kate standing towards the back of the crowd, her emotions nearly blotted out by the large, dark sunglasses she wore. The only giveaway that she felt anything was the quiver of her rather generous lower lip. Megan wondered what exactly the woman was feeling. Did she still love him, or was this just the obligatory, "only human" brand of sentiment one was supposed to feel when an ex-lover passed away? Regardless, she was much more troubled trying to figure out Kate than she was about Todd.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, Megan and Lacey stood in the middle of Bed, Bath and Beyond, trying to pick out dorm bedding.<p>

"Nothing? You don't like _anything_?" Megan pleaded.

"Everyone's going to have the same stuff," Lacey argued. "I want to stand out."

"Okay, so you can cut it up, decorate it, do whatever you want, just please pick something."

Lacey finally settled for a denim comforter and blue-green sheet set before they made their way to kitchenware.

"What do I even need pots and pans for? I'm getting a meal plan."

"Honey, trust me, the cafeteria food might be better than high school, but you will still get tired of it. Not to mention the lack of nutrition. You'll have to learn to cook sooner or later."

"Right. And who's going to teach me?"

Megan paused. She hadn't thought of that, and she had zero skills of her own to offer.

"We'll…think of something."

As they turned onto the utensils aisle, Megan spotted Kate. She appeared to be weighing the options between wooden and metal salad tongs, or whatever they were called. She would just as soon have turned around and gone in the other direction—she had been avoiding her boss since returning to the office, for the usual reasons of course—but Lacey immediately greeted her with a cheery hello.

"Hey," Kate smiled and laughed as Lacey hugged her tightly. "What are you guys up to?"

"Dorm shopping."

"I see. When do you ship out?"

Lacey decided the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia was the best place to hone her painting skills.

"Next Saturday. I'm taking summer classes so I get to move in early. Mom's driving me the whole twelve hours. Should be very exciting," Lacey rolled her eyes.

Kate noticed Megan's uncomfortable shifting and tried to help her out.

"I'm sure it'll be great mother-daughter bonding time before you start your big college adventure."

"Yeah, it'll be great," Megan half-heartedly agreed. Things with Lacey had become rather tense again following Todd's death. She knew Lacey didn't resent her, but she couldn't seem to make her happy or comfort her without smothering her. She was also dreading leaving her so far away, and the silence that would incur on the drive home, giving her lots of time to think. Too much time.

"It's a beautiful drive. I've made the trip several times on my way to visit my folks."

"Why don't you come with us? I never get to see you anymore, and who knows when the next time will be. I'm gonna miss you," Lacey suggested, her eyes tearing up a little. Megan looked on in horror.

"I…would love to…but, I don't want to intrude," Kate stumbled.

"You won't be intruding. We've had lots of mother-daughter time. And besides, mom's going to be a blubbering mess after leaving me there, and she doesn't really know the roads that well, so she could use the company, right mom?"

Megan's blush made its way down her neck and into the top of her blouse. She was trying her hardest not to drop the items she held in her hands or melt through the floor.

"I…of course I'm going to miss you…but…"

"Please, mom? It will be so much fun! Kate, you can come, right?"

Megan hadn't seen Lacey this excited about going away for weeks. She knew how much she cared about Kate and had to be feeling anxiety about leaving home, especially so soon after losing her dad. She had to give in.

She looked at Kate, who she was sure must have had her own slew of reasons for not wanting to spend that much time with her, but appeared to be making the same exception for Lacey. She looked back at Megan with an arched eyebrow, apparently asking for permission.

"I'd be fine with it," Megan swallowed. "If you're available."

Lacey's wide eyes practically broke both their hearts.

"Guess I should start packing for a road trip," Kate smiled.

"Great!" Lacey beamed. "See you next Saturday then. We'll pick you up."

"I'll make us some grub for the road," Kate offered.

"Awesome! Hey, maybe you can share some recipes with me. Mom says I need to learn how to cook."

Megan tuned out for the rest of the conversation and felt like she was in a trance as they loaded and unloaded the car. When she got into bed that night, she couldn't stop thinking about what spending that much time with Kate would be like. She had to admit, she didn't dislike her anymore. In fact, she was grateful to her. But there was still so much they hadn't discussed over the past three years, even as they traded the occasional office banter. Would she want to talk about her relationship with Todd? Megan didn't think she could stomach that, and not because she had feelings for him, but because it was just too strange. She didn't think Kate would really try to get into details. So then, what would they talk about? Work? As much as she loved her job, that might put her to sleep at the wheel after twelve hours. She guessed she would just have to wait and see. The unknown was not one of her favorite things, and it kept her up for most of the nights leading to their departure.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is so good!" Lacey praised Kate with her mouth full. They were about halfway through Virginia when Kate brought out the homemade rhubarb pie. Megan declined a slice since she was driving, but Lacey insisted she at least taste it. She fed her mom a bite. Megan nodded her approval.

"Where did you learn how to bake?" Megan inquired.

"My grandmother…and mother…and aunts and cousins. I come from a long line of talented women in the kitchen."

"Sounds nice," Lacey said. Megan took a deep breath. She would not allow herself to feel guilty.

"It was."

"Do you see them often?"

"Not really," Kate's tone grew more somber. "Haven't been home in a while."

"Why not?"

"Lacey," Megan warned. "Maybe she doesn't want to talk about it."

"No, it's okay," Kate assured. "They just haven't approved of all my choices. Moving to a big city, putting my career ahead of everything else." She didn't say "Finding a man first and popping out a few babies," but Megan gathered as much.

"Oh." Lacey appeared sympathetic.

"Yeah, you're lucky you've had such supportive parents."

Kate realized she referenced Todd with her comment and immediately regretted it, hoping it wouldn't bring the subject up or cause Lacey to be upset.

"You're right. I am lucky," Lacey looked over at Megan. Kate watched Megan's ears turn pink with relief and couldn't help but smile.

They reached Savannah around 6 p.m. and were glad the sun was starting to set as they carried everything up to the third floor of Lacey's new, beautiful brick home. It was a very small room with bunk beds, not the spacious, private abode she was used to, but Lacey appeared to be pleased. Her roommate had already covered her share of the walls with incredible artwork, elaborate, gothic paintings that made Megan sort of nervous. Lacey immediately started putting up posters and some of her own drawings on the walls before she unpacked anything else.

Shortly after they arrived, her roommate, Jamie, came back from the campus bookstore. Jamie wore thick black eye shadow and had streaks of purple in her hair. As different as they appeared to be, the two girls hit it off, admiring each other's work and comparing class schedules.

"Are your parents still here?" Megan asked.

"Nah, they left yesterday. Thank god…" Jamie replied. Megan's stomach hurt.

"Well, Lacey, why don't we go check in to the hotel so we can have dinner and get a good night's sleep. I'm sure you're tired after the long drive," Megan urged.

"I kind of want to stay here tonight," Lacey lightly suggested. "If that's okay?

"Oh…but honey, you're not really settled in yet."

"I know, that's why I want to keep working on the room. Besides, Jamie and I were going to meet up with some of her friends at the Café for dinner. You don't mind, do you?"

Megan didn't know what to say. She was not ready to say goodbye yet, and she also hadn't contemplated spending the rest of the night alone with Kate.

"I…well…"

"Promise to have breakfast with us in the morning before we leave?" Kate jumped in. Megan felt a hand on the small of her back. She practically came out of her skin.

"Of course!" Lacey agreed. "Okay, mom?"

Megan took a deep breath and held it together, once again. She was beginning to worry she would develop an ulcer.

"Alright. You two have fun. Be careful," she pleaded.

"We will. Thanks so much! I love you," Lacey hugged her mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She did the same with Kate.

The two women walked silently back to the car. When they got in, Megan sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel and staring out at the last rays the sun sent over the horizon, hoping their heat would dry up the tears threatening to spill over her lower lids.

"I'm sorry," Kate whispered. "I shouldn't have said anything. It wasn't my place."

"No," Megan sniffed. "I was being too controlling, again. Of course she wants to stay in her new room, get a feel for things."

She quickly wiped away the single tear that managed to escape.

"You must think I'm a real basket case," Megan sniffled again. "How many times have I cried in front of you now?"

"I've stopped counting," Kate joked. "And you're hardly a basket case. It's been a rough couple of weeks."

Megan looked at her, keeping her shades on, even though the sun was practically gone.

"Thanks."

* * *

><p>They drove to the hotel, quickly checked in and made their way to the room. Kate threw her bags on the queen bed near the window and Megan took the other. They decided to heat up the rest of the food Kate brought for their drive, neither feeling like sitting in a restaurant after such a long day. While Megan monitored the microwave, Kate slipped into the bathroom and came out a few minutes later wearing a pair of black shorts and a tank top with no bra. Megan kept her eyes fixed on the microwave. When it finally dinged, she quickly spooned some of the pasta onto two paper plates and placed one in front of Kate at the table. They ate in silence for a few awkward moments, until Megan finally caved.<p>

"So…your parents really don't approve of you?"

"Not so much," Kate replied before taking another bite.

"Do they even know how successful you are?"

Kate smiled sadly. "To them, success is measured by how many years you've been married and how much you've given back to the church."

"Ah," Megan nodded. "And… neither of those things interest you?"

Kate arched an eyebrow. "Is this some kind of interview?"

Megan blushed. "Sorry, I…"

"I'm not a religious person," Kate interrupted. "Spiritual…maybe. As for marriage…I don't suppose I've had much of a desire to settle down."

"Good. Take it from me, it's a lot easier to get married than it is to get divorced."

Kate had to laugh. Though she had never been married to Todd, she knew all too well what going through a divorce with him must have been like.

"So you'd never consider marrying again?"

"Doubtful," Megan mused. "But...never say never."

Just then Megan's phone rang. It was Lacey. She reached into her bag, answering it by the second ring.

"Hi Lace! Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's cool. Just getting ready for bed."

"How was dinner?"

"Dinner was fun."

Megan could feel the anxiety in her daughter's voice.

"You sure you're alright? I can pick you up if you want."

"No, I'll be okay. I just have to get used to it."

_Me too_, Megan thought.

"Something really funny happened though," Lacey giggled.

"Yeah? What was that?"

"When we were walking to the Café, Jamie asked me what it was like to have two moms."

Megan began coughing violently, spitting some of her water onto the table, choking on the rest. Kate moved her chair back a little, then wiped up the droplets while mouthing "Are you okay?" to which Megan frantically motioned yes as she got up and moved to the other side of the room.

"Mom?"

"I'm alright," she coughed again. "Sorry…why would she…what gave her that idea?"

"Her parents came to drop her off. She assumed the two of you were mine."

Megan wiped her brow. She was sweating.

"I think it's a pretty far leap to assume…"

"She also said she thought you guys looked cute together," Lacey continued to laugh. "Isn't that funny?"

Megan tried to keep breathing normally.

"Hilarious!"

"Alright, see you in the morning. Love you."

"Love you too. Goodnight."

As she made her way back to the table, she tried not to look at Kate.

"What was _that_?"

"Oh…that Jamie. She's a character." Megan knew she had to be bright red.

"She seems like a free spirit," Kate smiled. "Don't worry. Lacey's got a mind of her own."

Megan had no worries about Lacey. She, on the other hand, was beginning to feel insane. She cleared the table of their dinner and excused herself into the restroom, where she pulled on her pajama pants and tank, but decided to leave her bra on. For some reason, it just felt safer.

She opened the door, hopped into the bed and pulled the sheets over her. She was dressed way too warmly for the weather, but she felt the need to be as covered up as possible. She stole a glance over at Kate, who was sitting on top of the covers, reading a book with her glasses on. Megan noted the shape of her calves, the way her chest rose and fell, the color of her tongue as she licked her fingers before turning the page. She shut her eyes and turned away.

"I'm sure you're exhausted," Kate apologized. "I'll turn off the light."

"Thanks," Megan mumbled from under the covers.

"Sweet dreams."

Megan wanted to respond, but couldn't. Was she really this much of a masochist? No. She was mistaking gratitude for something else. Surely this would pass. It had to pass.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, on about three hours of sleep, Megan sat across from Lacey at the local IHOP. She tried to eat a stack of pancakes, but her emotions were rattled on a few accounts.

"…and she's even been to Spain to study classic and contemporary art. How cool is that? She says if we study abroad together, she'll be my guide."

"That's fantastic," Kate marveled. She'd always wanted to visit Europe, but hadn't yet had the opportunity.

"Mom, what do you think? Can I go to Spain next summer?"

Megan was a little slow to reply, having been lost in thought.

"Oh… I guess. If you can get a scholarship. Maybe just see how you do this semester before planning everything else. One step at a time."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Lacey's excitement deflated a little.

"I mean, it sounds great," Megan tried again. "Just, you know, get a feel for things here first. When the time comes, if you still want to go, we'll find a way to get you there."

That perked Lacey up again for the rest of their meal.

When the three made it back to campus, they got out of the car to say their goodbyes.

"Don't forget to call me once in a while," Kate requested as she hugged Lacey tightly. "You should call your mom every day, but I'll take at least once a week."

"Got it," Lacey smiled.

The young woman then turned to her mother, standing tall, trying her best to appear unaffected, though Megan could tell she was walking a tight rope. This wouldn't be the first time her daughter tried to be stronger for the two of them. Since the funeral, though they'd had their differences, Lacey had been a lot better at keeping her tears in check. Certainly before Todd's death, Megan had sometimes felt like Lacey was the parent and she was the child, for better or worse. Megan was also trying not to fall apart as the two looked at each other in a bit of an emotional face-off. Finally, she couldn't do it anymore. She threw her arms around Lacey, who hugged her back just as fiercely.

"Its gonna be okay, mom," Lacey assured.

Megan nodded. She pulled back and looked her daughter in the eyes.

"I hope you know how much I love you," she spoke clearly, determined to get her words across.

"I know. I love you more." Lacey squeezed her again.

"Not possible, kid."

The two laughed as they finally let go, knowing they were only delaying the inevitable. Megan and Kate watched as Lacey walked back to the dorm and made it safely inside. They stood there again silently for a few minutes. Kate seemed to know when Megan needed time to digest things. Eventually, she turned to Megan, who was no longer a complete sobbing mess, but still looked exhausted.

"Why don't you let me drive?" Kate suggested, a little extra warmth in her voice.

Megan nodded and handed Kate the keys. The two pulled away and began their trek back to Philadelphia.

* * *

><p><em>Megan sat at the witness stand in a very crowded courtroom, full of people whose faces were completely blurred. She heard all kinds of whispers as the judge banged the gavel. Once he called for the proceedings to continue, Todd approached the bench and began to speak. <em>

"_Did you really think you could get away with this?" he demanded. _

"_Get away with what?" she replied, incredulous. _

"_Lying," he came back. "To me, to yourself, to everyone." _

"_I don't know what you're talking about," she insisted. _

"_Oh you know," he sneered. "Jurors, I give you exhibit A." _

_A giant easel with a television screen on it—about the size of a Jumbo-Tron— was rolled into the middle of the courtroom. Todd pointed a remote at the screen. Megan's jaw dropped as the scenes began playing before her eyes. First, Kate appeared in a coral dress, putting on lipstick in a small compact mirror behind her desk. Megan stood in the doorway, admiring her. Next, Kate entered Megan's office in a black and white lace number that hugged her curves even more tightly than the coral one. The volume was muted, so all that could be seen were their facial expressions and body language. As far as Megan was concerned, that was all anyone would need to be able to figure out what was going on as scene after scene continued to play. How had she not seen it before? _

"_Exhibit B," Todd shouted, his voice dripping with a sick sort of pleasure._

_A second screen was wheeled out. Todd hit play again, and this time the film showed Kate's naked back as she rode Todd, throwing her head back in ecstasy. Megan watched, getting more and more nauseated as they tried different positions. It seemed to last forever, long enough for her to finally realize that the two were fucking in what used to be her bed. _

"_Enough! I get it, okay!" she pleaded._

"_Order in the court!" the judge decreed. As she looked up at him, he slowly morphed into her mother. Joan Hunt looked down at her daughter and shook her head._

"_Fine. Your honor, I call my final witness to the stand."_

_There was a rustling as one of the faceless spectators got up and slowly made her way to the bench. It was Kate. She wore the same skirt and blouse she had worn to Lacey's graduation, and later that night during Todd's autopsy. As she passed Todd, he reached out for her hand, which she slammed into his chest. The force pushed him back into a chair, where he slumped over as he had the night he died, though this time he was revived moments later and continued to watch eagerly as Kate approached Megan. She put her hands on the wooden desk in front of her and leaned in as close as she could, so that no one but Megan could hear her speak. Her soft blonde locks fell forward, tickling the side of Megan's cheek. _

"_Talk to me," Kate urged sweetly. "We have more in common than you think."_

"_I…" Megan could not even begin to make sense of her thoughts, much less formulate a response. She felt Kate's fingers caress her own. She leaned in closer, trailing her nails up Megan's forearm as she brushed her lips just barely across her cheek. _

_Suddenly, Megan felt her jerk away. _

She opened her eyes as they hit a bump in the road. She slowly remembered where she was and who she was with, and reality felt only slightly less panic-inducing than her dream.

"Well hello," Kate started, noting her co-pilot had returned to a state of consciousness. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Megan groaned. "But better than before."

"I was starting to worry. I've never seen you this drained."

"I don't think I've ever been this wiped out," she yawned as she rubbed her eyes, smudging her makeup a little. "Where are we?"

"About to clear North Carolina."

"Really? Jesus, how long was I…?"

"A while," Kate laughed. "Seems like you needed it. Glad to have you back though."

Megan blushed, remembering her dream, rendering her silent. She searched her mind for safe topics of conversation.

"Wonder how Lacey's doing. My phone didn't ring, did it?"

"No. I'm sure she'll call tonight. Give her a few hours to enjoy her freedom before she realizes she's on her own."

Megan gulped.

"You think she's ready?"

Kate glanced over at her for a moment, just enough to gauge Megan's state of worry before responding.

"I think you've prepared her as best you could, which is what any good mother does."

Megan smiled at this. Her blush would apparently be taking up permanent residence in her cheeks.

"But," Kate continued. "I'm sure she'll miss all the comforts she's used to. For a kid as fortunate as Lacey's been, dorm life might feel like roughing it."

"Are you saying my daughter is spoiled?" Megan asked, feigning offense, already knowing the answer.

Kate treaded carefully. "I would say…she's been blessed. Add that to her desire for independence and passion for what she wants to become, and I don't think you've got too much to worry about."

The two continued to talk about Lacey for most of their drive, which put Megan at ease considering it was one of her favorite subjects and it meant they wouldn't have to broach any more dangerous territory. She was also really impressed with how much Kate seemed to care about Lacey, how much she knew about her and connected with her, especially for someone who had never had a child of her own. This got them talking about their own lives as teenagers and young adults. Kate shared a few college tales about boys and drinking that made Megan cringe, but she realized it was not so different from her own experiences. They had both made it through, and so would Lacey.

As they ventured past the Pennsylvania border, Megan was feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. She reclined a little in her seat, even putting her feet up on the dashboard.

"God, I could use a pedicure when we get back."

"Tell me about it," Kate commiserated.

"Maybe…we could get them together… sometime," she propositioned rather modestly, almost apologetically. As soon as the words left her lips she felt so unlike herself, so much more like the unsure teenager she had once been rather than the self-assured woman she had become.

"I'd like that," Kate agreed.

"Great! It's a date," Megan laughed awkwardly, unable to stop herself, part of her wanting to jump from the moving vehicle.

"A date, huh?" Kate joked. "Looks like Todd was right."

"What?"

Megan thought she was about to implode. She felt ill, remembering her dream again.

"He said we'd become best friends. Looks like we've skipped a few steps."

"Uh…" Megan was starting to feel dizzy. This had to stop. She hated feeling this out of control. It was bad enough when it came to her work and Lacey. Her own personal stuff was more tightly sealed behind years of pain, resentment, fear, and apparently many other things she hadn't begun to deal with. The walls were not ready to come down just yet. "Could we not talk about Todd…you know…so soon. Or ever."

"Ever?" Kate asked, skeptically. "Sorry, I know it's still pretty fresh, but…we talked about him more when he was alive than we do now."

"Right. Things were different then," Megan said firmly.

"How?"

"Well, for one, he's dead!"

"I get that, Megan. I don't get pretending like he never existed. I'm sure there are things that, if you and I were actually to become friends, we would need to discuss."

"Okay, well, I'm not ready to talk about it yet."

Megan watched Kate's hands get tighter around the steering wheel.

"…and is that because now that he's gone you've realized you still had feelings for him, or…?"

"No!" Megan actually shouted. "How many times do I have to tell you and everyone else that I don't have feelings for Todd? I have feelings _about_ him, like what a horrible husband he was, the terrible things he told Lacey about me, the predicament he's left me in of continuing to raise her with absolutely no help at all. But romantic feelings? For him? You've gotta be kidding me."

Megan shook her head. Kate let her comments marinate for a few minutes. She wanted to drop it, but somehow she couldn't let things continue to stew between them.

"If it makes you feel any better," Kate continued, "I don't think I was ever in love with him. I think…I know, that I was with him because he was the first man in a long time who I could have an intelligent conversation with, who was interested in more than just my looks. He respected me, even if I inevitably found his habits infuriating. He was the kind of man my parents would have wanted me to settle down with, but even after two years together, that just wasn't something I could see myself doing."

Megan listened to Kate's pseudo-eulogy in silence. She felt somewhat appeased by these admissions, but they also opened up new questions that she was too exhausted to deal with now.

"Well that's great," Megan responded sarcastically. "Glad you've got it all figured out."

"I wouldn't say that," Kate bitterly whispered, almost under her breath.

Megan wondered what she meant by it, but the two didn't say anything else to each other for the rest of the trip. When they got to Kate's place, Megan thanked her again, and Kate even asked if she was awake enough to drive herself home. She insisted she was, and the two said goodnight.


	5. Chapter 5

Lacey kept her promise to call every day for about a month before slacking off to every couple of days. Megan realized this was normal and she would just have to deal with it, even as it contributed to her growing loneliness. She kept herself as busy as possible at work, trying her best to avoid being alone with Kate, who appeared to be keeping her distance as well. When they were forced to work together, one of them usually called in Ethan or Curtis to serve as a buffer, ordering some test or analysis and meticulously making them report every detail. One night after Curtis finished presenting all of his findings, Kate left for a meeting with the mayor, giving him the opportunity to question Dr. Hunt.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What's ever stopped you?" Megan replied as she continued to look through the lens of her microscope.

"What is with you two? I thought ya'll were finally calling a truce a while back. Now it seems like you hate each other more than ever."

"We don't hate each other," Megan was quick to correct. "It's just…complicated."

"Well you think you could put your complications aside for my sake? Cause if I have to orally recite another damn tox-analysis word for word, number for number, _I'm_ liable to kill somebody."

Megan glared at him affectionately.

"Sorry," she said. "I'm trying."

"Try harder. Please. Ya'll should be friends. You're both the same kind of crazy. Kiss and make up already."

Megan hid her blush by quickly putting on her goggles and diving back in to the body in front of her.

* * *

><p>"Why don't you believe me when I say I know you? I think it's pretty clear I've gotten to know you better than you know yourself," Peter insisted cheekily.<p>

"Oh shut up," Megan sneered back, smiling as she took a swig of beer. She had agreed to go out for drinks, the empty house finally getting to be too much, though she was regretting it more and more as Peter tried to suggest eligible men she could date.

"Let me hook you up with Richard Scott. He's a lawyer, but a good one."

"No such thing," she laughed, bitterly.

"Come on, you're obviously lonely, or you wouldn't be out with me right now."

"Peter, I'm not interested in dating anyone, but if I was, who's to say any of the guys you've mentioned would be my type?"

"Fine. What is your type?"

Megan had to smirk. She knew this was all a pretense for getting her to talk about what she wanted, which would inevitably lead Peter to insisting he was it. He was right in some ways: he was a good guy, attractive, and knew her well. But she just didn't feel that spark with him. The affection they shared, to her, was almost sibling-like.

"I'm not so sure anymore," she admitted. "I surprise myself sometimes."

"Uh oh," he said. "Sounds like you've already got your sights on someone. Fess up. Who is he?"

Megan's cheeks burned a little from all the blushing she'd been doing, not to mention the outright waves of heat that hit her when Kate leaned over her shoulder in the lab. There was no way she was telling Peter about any of it.

"If I had known this is what you had in mind when you said relaxing, I think I would have stayed in."

"Aw, come on. It's not so bad."

The bells on the door jingled, signaling another customer entering the tiny establishment. They both looked up as Kate approached the bar. She wore a black satin blouse and grey slacks, topped off by her usual Loubitains. Megan was beginning to wonder what she had done to deserve this.

"Kate!" Peter called to her.

Kate turned to them, looking a bit shocked to see Megan sitting next to Peter. She sighed and grabbed her purse off the counter before sidling up to them.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? Getting wasted," Peter joked. "Actually, I was just trying to convince Megan she'd made the right choice by coming out tonight."

"Ah, yes, I'm sure guzzling beers with you is _exactly_ her kind of fun."

"Hey," Megan interrupted, feeling like she was invisible. "How do you know what my kind of fun is?"

Kate licked her lips the way she did when she was frustrated or embarrassed, but it always came across as playful. Megan got a hot flash.

"You're right. I wouldn't know," she responded.

Peter looked back and forth between the two.

"So…" he cut in. "Megan, what would you be doing at home right now that would be so much better than hanging out with us?"

Megan thought for a second. Anything, she thought, we would better than this torture.

"I could be curled up in bed, watching the Katherine Hepburn marathon on AMC, eating popcorn and not having to answer to anyone."

Kate shifted from one leg to the other.

"Classic movie buff?"

"Sort of. More of a Hepburn buff."

Kate nodded. "Woman was captivating."

Peter smiled victoriously at what looked like civility developing between the two.

"Kate, pull up a chair," he suggested.

"I would, but I'm actually waiting for someone," she hesitantly admitted.

"Aha!" Peter exclaimed. Megan was thoroughly grossed out.

"Well, have fun with that. Guess I'm stuck with Miss Homebody over here."

"Actually, if I leave now I may catch the end of _Bringing Up Baby_," Megan said as she stood, gathering her coat and bag.

"Really? You're really gonna leave me all alone?"

"Somehow I think you'll manage. Thanks for inviting me." She turned to Kate. "Have fun."

"You too," Kate responded, not so enthusiastically.

Megan made it home in record time. She threw on her pajamas and caught the last five minutes of the film before shutting her eyes and praying she wouldn't have another dream tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

On Sunday, Megan finally agreed to meet her mother for lunch. She'd forgiven her for missing Lacey's graduation, but that was really a drop in the bucket. She was resigned to the fact that their relationship would never be more than an obligation they both somehow felt they needed keep. Perhaps her mother really cared about her. The fact was, she had spent so many years trying to figure it out that now she was simply angry at having to wonder at all.

"Well, look at you," Joan marveled as Megan sat at the table across from her. "You're alive."

"Good morning, mother," Megan greeted her. "How's the campaign?"

"As well as can be expected, considering it's all me now. I had to fire my manager. Apparently she…"

Megan half-heartedly listened. She really didn't care, but she had to pretend enough to be able to make her own appeal to the judge.

"Sounds like you've got it under control. If you need my help with more pamphlets, flyers, even a brief interview, I could handle that."

Joan lit up. "What's gotten into you?" Then, remembering who her daughter was, the light in her eyes dimmed. "What do you want?"

Megan figured she should just cut to the chase.

"I do genuinely want to help, and I will, but…okay, I know you refused to sign the exhumation for daddy's grave, but I was wondering if you could at least refer me to someone who might be willing to do it instead."

"You're still on that? I told you 'no.' It's done."

"Mother, please. Helping Lacey get closure with Todd stirred everything up for me again. I need to know. You may not give a shit, but I do, and I'm not going to stop until I get a 'yes' from someone."

"Well no judge is just going to sign off on an exhumation without a substantial reason and a witness to testify that it's necessary, someone unbiased with access to the case, and I refuse to do it. Anyway, what do you even need me for? Why don't you get your Chief to pull some strings for you. She knows judges, and she'd have access to your father's file."

Megan had not considered involving Kate, which was just as well, considering she'd rather rip out her own toenails.

"That's not an option."

"Why not? Are you still feuding with the woman? For God's sake Megan, get over it. I agree, it was a rather trashy move for her to shack up with Todd, but he's dead and she's most certainly moved on. You may as well make use of her."

Megan was appalled by the suggestion. As easy as it was for her to consider using her mother like this, using Kate was out of the question. She realized how awful this probably made her, but that was honestly how she felt.

"I'll find another way."

"Suit yourself," Joan huffed. "Guess I won't count on you for that interview then."

Megan sighed.

"When is it?"

"You'll still do it?" Joan was shocked.

"Don't make a big deal out of it or I may change my mind."

"Oh for the love of…well…okay, here are the details then."

Megan plugged the information into her phone and hit save. She felt somewhat redeemed.

* * *

><p>Three weeks later, Megan was working late on a case that was troubling her more than usual. A young girl was found dead outside a frat party, hitting way too close to home. She knew Lacey was smart, but as she listened to her talk about all the new friends she was making, how influential they seemed to be on her style and even the way she spoke, she couldn't help but worry.<p>

She scraped beneath the fingernails, admiring the girl's blue nail polish, wondering what made her choose the color. After looking at the white substance under a microscope, she confirmed it was not cocaine. That combined with the tox-screen and the location of the body made her suspect it was not a self-induced overdose. Someone had killed this girl or at least helped her to her death. She couldn't be sure yet of the how or why, but she was determined to stick around all night to figure it out.

When she returned to her office to grab some evidence she'd left there earlier, she noticed a manila envelope on her desk. She quickly opened it and as she read over the document her hands began to shake. The paper slipped from them and fluttered back onto the desk. She was forced to sit down. She picked it back up and read it again several times, excitement and anger pulsing through her veins. It was the order to exhume her father's body, signed and dated by a judge she had never heard of, and Dr. Kate Murphy.

Megan stormed down the hall to Kate's office, where the light was still on. She watched as the blonde sat at her desk, talking on the phone with someone very politely, probably the mayor or one of his aides. When she saw Megan glaring at her from the door, she told the person she'd have to call them back.

"Got a lead the Thompson case?"

Megan stepped into the office and slowly approached her desk, where she dropped the manila envelope.

"Oh. You found it. Good," Kate acted like it was just another report on one of their current cases, and went back to looking at her computer. Megan's face was on fire.

"Why did you do this?"

"A simple thank you will suffice, Dr. Hunt."

"I…" Megan didn't even know where to begin. She knew her mother had to have been behind it, otherwise Kate wouldn't have known. But why she would put herself out there like this for her was a mystery. Now that she thought about it though, Kate had done things for her numerous times that she never would have expected. She'd gone to bat for her on cases, gotten Todd to share custody of Lacey, performed his autopsy with her, even driven all the way to Georgia with her. She had assumed on all of those occasions that the gestures were not really for her. They were for the good of the case, because she'd been with Todd, because she cared about Lacey. This was the first time it had nothing to do with any of those things. It was only for her.

"You…" she continued. "How much did my mother hound you about this until you said 'yes'?"

"Enough to give me an idea of why you're not on the best of terms with her," Kate smiled. Megan still looked confused. She knew she should offer more of an explanation. "Enough for me to know it would mean a lot to you, maybe help you clear some things up."

"But Kate…this is…a stretch, I mean, you could stand to lose some credibility if it turns out there's no…"

"My credibility is not at stake, nor is yours. Megan, everyone knows you're the most gifted medical examiner we have. You're the best thing that's ever happened to this place. Nobody would deny you this chance."

Megan stepped closer to the desk. She somehow thought that getting this order would make her feel like all of her turmoil was on the road to being solved. Then again, she never thought she'd actually get it. She continued to stare at Kate, who looked up at her from behind the desk, which was filled with paperwork inches thick.

"I haven't exactly been nice to you the past couple of months," Megan almost whispered. She looked down at her nails as she drummed them against the wood.

"No, you haven't. I haven't exactly been friendly either."

"So why go out on a limb for me? Why the high praise all of a sudden? I've been here for almost six years."

Kate got up from her chair. Megan's breath caught in her throat. She watched as Kate— in one of her usual skin-hugging pencil skirts and tantalizingly tight blouses—came to the front of the desk and sat inches away from her with her arms folded. What she saw in Kate's beautiful blue eyes was genuine kindness, gratitude, and undeniable sadness all at once.

"I'm not really close to a lot of people," Kate admitted softly. "You know what they say about it being lonely at the top? Well…you're about as close to the top as anyone has ever been able to get."

Megan smiled cautiously. "So you're saying… you want to be friends…because we have a lot in common?" she swallowed.

"And because you like my cooking and it makes me feel good about myself."

They both laughed.

"I know I'm still your boss," Kate continued. "But we've been through a lot together."

"Tell me about it," Megan sighed. She wanted to hug her. She wanted to do more than hug her, but she knew this was not the time to be "skipping steps." They could be friends, and that was more than she ever thought they'd be.

"Thank you," Megan finally told her, picking the envelope up again. "This does mean a lot."

"Just try not to let it interfere with your work. And if you need help with the autopsy, and you know…support… I'm here."

Megan continued to just look at her. Kate's lips appeared to be getting redder as she nervously licked them, but it could have been Megan's imagination. There was a lot to take in all at once.

"_Now_ I think I could use a beer," Megan laughed.

"Funny you should say that. I was about to call it a day and head over to Gallagher's for Detective Baker's birthday. Everyone else is already there."

"It's Sam's birthday?"

"Yes," Kate rolled her eyes, "And you would know that if you paid a little more attention to the people around you."

Kate's comment didn't sting as much as usual. Still, she glared back at her teasingly. This time she was almost certain Kate's lips were getting redder.

"I'd love to," Megan said. "But I still don't have cause of death on Amanda Thompson."

"It's Friday night," Kate argued. "I want cause of death as much as you do, especially on this one. But it can wait till Monday. These frat party cases are so easy to wrap up once we get what we need to search the place."

It was seriously tempting, but Megan knew she would feel guilty.

"Dr. Hunt, as your boss I insist you put your work on hold till Monday," Kate demanded playfully. "You deserve to have some fun."

Megan did not know how the clothes on her body were not singed. She took a deep breath and told Kate she'd meet her downstairs in five minutes. This time, she would not challenge her boss's orders.


	7. Chapter 7

Kate drove the two of them over to Gallagher's. When they walked in together, everyone turned their heads and several jaws dropped.

"Am I in the Twilight Zone, or do those two look like they're getting along?" Bud whispered loudly to Sam.

"Sure seems like it," she responded. "Hey ladies! Thanks for showin' up!"

"Happy Birthday," Megan smiled. "Sorry, I don't have a card or anything. I didn't realize…"

"Ah, don't worry about it. Just seeing the two of you walk in together without your hands around each other's necks is good enough for me."

Megan rolled her eyes. "At least let me buy you a beer."

"Deal," Sam agreed, putting her arm around Megan and walking them over to the bar.

Kate watched the interaction from her seat between Peter and Ethan.

"Looks like Sam's trying to make it a _very_ happy birthday," Ethan whispered as he leaned behind Kate's back to Peter.

"Get a grip, Ethan. Megan would never go for it."

"Why not?" Ethan insisted. "Crazier things have happened. You can't predict who's gonna shack up with who around here. It's a regular soap opera."

Kate glared at him. "What are you talking about?" She looked back at Sam and Megan, who were each on their second beer and now taking shots together, appearing to have a really good time.

"Oh…you didn't know Sam was a lesbian?" Ethan fumbled.

"I don't make it a habit of asking people their sexual preference, no," Kate huffed. She continued to observe the women at the bar, shifting in her seat. "You think she's got a thing for Megan?"

"I've suspected," Peter said. "But she's gotta know it's a lost cause."

Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Why's that?"

"Because Megan's straighter than the day is long. That would be like _you_ hooking up with Sam," Peter laughed. "By the way, how was that date you had the other night?"

Kate gave him a crushing look that was meant to remind him of who he was talking to, and that he needed to remember it even after a few drinks.

"Right. Sorry," he mumbled.

She brushed him off, finished the rest of her beer, and began walking towards the women at the bar, leaving Ethan and Peter completely transfixed.

"Mind if I buy the next round?" Kate offered to both of them.

"Who could say no to that?" Sam cut in.

The bartender brought over three more Bud Lights and three Washington Apple shots.

"This is the _only_ one I'm doing. One," Kate made clear.

"Come on, Dr. Murphy," Megan giggled, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol. "Weren't you the one who insisted we have a little fun?"

The three picked up their shot glasses and toasted Sam before downing the liquor.

* * *

><p>About an hour and a half later, Kate was pretty buzzed and Megan was sufficiently tanked. It was two a.m. and the bar was closing. Sam got a ride home with Bud, and Peter and the rest of the boys said their goodbyes before calling it a night. Kate successfully argued that she and Megan would be fine. They would just sit a while before they ventured home.<p>

"I'm still not letting you drive," Kate demanded. "I'll drop you off and you can come back for your car tomorrow."

"Alright," Megan finally gave in. She wasn't about to be sick or anything, but her eyes were definitely heavy and she was slurring. "Can we stop and get a cheeseburger first?"

Kate laughed. "I don't think you're going to want anything else in your stomach in a few hours."

Megan insisted she could make it up the stairs to her apartment on her own, but Kate knew better. She let her walk up before her, standing behind like a spotter, watching Megan wobble from side to side as she ascended the steps, like a slinky in reverse. When they got to the top, Megan looked a little paler, but continued to insist she was alright.

"You're a really good friend, Kate. Why are you so good? What have I ever done for you?"

Kate was blushing now.

"Like I said, we're both women at the top. We've gotta stick together."

"You've known Sam longer," Megan reminded. "Why don't you stick to her?"

"I think you were doing enough of that for both of us," Kate said before she could think better of it.

"What?" Megan laughed.

"Nothing. Let's get you inside."

Megan leaned back against the wall right outside her door. She narrowed her eyes and smiled a little more seductively than she would have had she been sober.

"Were you jealous?" Megan boldly asked.

Now Kate was glowing pink. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I be jealous?"

"Because Sam's a gay lady and you think she likes me." Megan hiccupped.

"I didn't know she was gay until tonight, and I don't think that. I just…" Kate didn't know how to finish the sentence.

"What? You don't think a woman would be interested in me like that?" Megan pouted a little. She was really putting on the theatrics, Kate thought. If she remembered any of this tomorrow, she would probably be mortified.

"I didn't say that either. I'm sure plenty of women would be in to you," Kate admitted.

Those words from Kate's mouth hit Megan in her abdomen, sending little shockwaves lower. As far gone as she was, she knew she needed to pull herself together and stop this embarrassment before it got any worse.

"Okay," she whispered. "Well, thank you for taking me home. I thoroughly appreciate it."

"Anytime," Kate smiled.

Megan stuck out her hand dramatically as if she wanted Kate to shake it. Kate looked at the hand, then up at Megan's face. She looked a little drunk and a little more nervous. They had never hugged before, but Kate would have felt silly shaking her hand after a night like this. She decided to go for it. She gently pushed Megan's hand aside and instead wrapped her arms around the slightly smaller woman, slipping her own arms around her waist and behind her back. She waited for a moment, and when Megan did not reciprocate, she tried to pull away, feeling a little knot of rejection in her stomach.

Just then Megan returned the gesture, putting her arms, hesitantly at first, behind Kate's shoulders. As they stood there, there seemed to be an electric current running between the two. Their bodies shifted closer together, and both women began to squeeze a little more firmly. It was well overdue. After so long a wait for such a simple hug, neither seemed to want to let go.

Megan forgot where she was for what seemed like minutes, forgot all the harshness that had once been between them, even forgot that Kate was her boss. She breathed in the smell of her, her sweet vanilla scent not completely eradicated by the smoke from the bar. She nuzzled her face into her neck just barely, enough to inhale her a little more deeply. She felt Kate's hands gently rubbing her back as they continued to embrace one another.

Finally, Megan pulled back a little. As they began to move away, they were so close that cheek slid against cheek, soft skin and tiny hairs tickling, teasing, sending chills down Megan's arms and goosebumps up the back of her neck. She couldn't believe Kate was not letting go. The overwhelming emotions sobered her up significantly, but she still refused to be the first one to step away.

She continued to hold her face against Kate's. She felt like she was going to faint, but held on because she didn't know if this was just some fluke because they had both been drinking, and she was afraid she may never get the chance to be this close again. She could have sworn Kate's nose was touching hers, but she was pretty sure it was only in her mind. She opened her eyes for just a moment, then shut them again tightly, the vision of the gorgeous woman before her making her dizzy. On pure instinct, she tipped her chin forward and felt the softest, juiciest lips she had ever encountered. Moments later, they were moving, their dampness becoming fully warm and wet as they slipped and slid over her own mouth. Megan heard a sigh of pleasure come from one of them. Kate pulled back, and Megan suddenly felt very ill.

"Are you okay?" Kate whispered, noting the green tint to her face.

"I don't think…" She stopped, putting her hand over her mouth. Kate sprang into action, quickly diving into Megan's purse without permission, looking for her keys. She opened the door and Megan sprinted into the house, straight to the nearest bathroom. Kate heard the door slam shut, followed by the sound of violent wretching into the toilet.

Thankfully, Megan had not locked the door to the restroom. Kate opened it and peered inside. Megan was sitting on the floor in front of the commode, resting her head on the seat, looking pitiful. Kate squatted next to her and began rubbing her back. Megan groaned, no doubt out of embarrassment and queasiness.

When it looked like Megan had thrown up all she could, Kate helped her into the bedroom. She looked through some of the drawers and found her a big, comfy tee shirt. She handed it to Megan and turned her back while the woman took pains to undress herself. She wanted to help, but didn't want to make things any more awkward between them.

"You can turn around now," Megan groaned.

Kate turned and watched as Megan folded herself under the covers.

"I don't really want to leave you by yourself," Kate admitted."You might need something."

"I'll be okay," Megan whispered, drifting off.

"Still…I'd feel a lot better if I stayed, just in case. Maybe I should sleep…"

"Just get in," Megan groggily insisted.

Kate was going to suggest the couch, but then again she might not have been able to hear Megan from there if she did need something. She slipped out of her shoes and went around to the other side of the bed, where she pulled back the covers and got in, still fully clothed. She shut her eyes and for a long time listened to the sound of Megan's breathing until they were both asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Megan refused to wake up. She figured if she continued to pretend to be asleep, she could trick her body into avoiding a hangover. Of course, as a doctor she knew better, but she kept up the charade as long as she could. When she finally opened her eyes, the light coming in through the cracks in the curtains jump-started the throbbing in her head. Thankfully, she was no longer nauseous, having puked enough for a lifetime the night before. _And I was worried about Lacey_, she thought.

She rolled over, and the sight before her threatened to steal what little energy she had been trying to muster. Kate lay there, still fast asleep. Her eyes were an exquisite shade of plum, the shadow barely smudged, and her lips appeared fuller and rosier than ever. The morning light glittered across her face and brought out the many shades of gold in her hair. Megan tried to hold her breath as she watched her. She figured things could go one of two ways. Either Kate would ask her how she was feeling, see to it that she would survive, then politely and apologetically excuse herself; or…something else entirely that she couldn't even begin to wrap her brain around. She couldn't decide which would be more terrifying.

Very slowly, Megan tried to rise up on her elbows. She managed to get one leg out from under the covers before she felt fingertips gently touch her arm.

"You okay?" Kate asked in a gravelly morning voice.

"I'll live," Megan answered, knowing she didn't sound very convincing.

"Do you need to throw up again?"

"No. Just a wicked headache now."

"Mmm," Kate moaned, commiserating. "Who knew you were such a wild child?"

Megan began coughing and turned bright red. She pulled her knees up to her chest and curled up, embarrassed and nervous out of her skull.

"Hey," Kate whispered gently. "It's alright. Trust me, I've been there. Plenty of times."

Megan peeked out from above her folded arms.

"You slept in your clothes," she noted.

Kate nodded. "It felt…appropriate."

Megan's stomach sank. Her muscles were sore from heaving the night before. She winced. Kate noticed.

"Because," Kate continued, "We were both drinking last night, and I didn't want you to think…"

"That you were taking advantage of me?" Megan mocked, raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Kate smirked. "You do remember then."

Megan blushed and looked away. "Of course I remember."

"I wasn't sure you would."

"I don't care how much I had to drink. There's no way I could forget _that_."

She looked over at Kate, who was staring at her pensively as she traced the sheets with her fingertips. Megan didn't know if she was trying to be enticing, or if that was just her natural way. _This is a lot more daunting when sober_, she thought. She needed to stall.

"Do you mind if I brush my teeth?"

Kate smiled and rolled her eyes. "Go right ahead."

Megan got out of bed. As soon as she realized she had nothing on but a tee shirt and underwear, she sprinted to the bathroom and closed the door. She tried to be quick, part of her afraid Kate wouldn't be there when she came back out. Still, going back meant having to answer more questions.

She took a deep breath and stepped back into the bedroom. Kate was sitting up now. Megan got back into her side of the bed and sat with her hands folded in front of her on top of the covers. Neither said anything for what felt like forever.

"So," Kate finally broke the silence. "How much of that was the alcohol?"

Megan looked at her skeptically. "You really think people aren't themselves when they drink? Aren't they just an extension of who they normally are, only without inhibitions?"

Kate smirked. "I've seen both. The question is: which are you?"

Megan squirmed a little. _This is the moment of truth_, she thought. Be honest and potentially lose another career, or play dumb and potentially miss out on something she still couldn't believe she wanted.

"I think… the alcohol helped, but it wouldn't have happened had I not already been thinking about it," she gulped, immediately turning even redder.

"I see," Kate noted.

Megan felt a little like she was being cross-examined, like a suspect.

"Hey, why am I the one being questioned? If memory serves me correctly, you were almost completely sober by then."

"True," Kate admitted.

"So," Megan continued. "You thought about it before too?"

Kate hesitated briefly before responding.

"Yes."

Megan was sure she'd heard wrong. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. She continued to look at Kate, who wasn't leaving, so she must have really said "yes." Megan was relieved and at the same time felt like her blood pressure was nearing a critical level.

"How long before?" she asked.

"I don't know, Megan. I don't exactly keep a log of all my thoughts."

She knew she wasn't going to get all the answers to her questions right now. She had to fight against her inquisitive urges, her need to understand all parts of the puzzle before she could act.

"What now?" she almost whispered.

"I don't know," Kate responded honestly. "It's complicated. For a number of reasons."

"One being Todd…"

"And two, I'm your boss," Kate reminded her. Then, a little more gently, "Lest we forget."

"You don't let me forget."

Kate laughed, finally looking at Megan again. She couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from rising as she noted the deep flush in her employee's cheeks. She knew the lines had already been crossed in so many ways. The first step had been dating Todd. She knew it was not the utmost in professionalism at the time, and yet she did it anyway. Thankfully, it had not ruined their chances at friendship. In fact, somehow, it ironically brought them closer together.

Megan looked up at her, trying to read what she wanted. Could they really just forget about Todd? To her, that was the biggest question, more than whether or not it was appropriate to make out with her boss. She was never big on following the rules anyway. But this woman—the first woman she could actually admit she was attracted to—had been intimate with her dead ex-husband and the father of her child. That had to be a huge red flag. Nevertheless, Todd was gone, Lacey was away at college, and all she could see in front of her was Kate's compassion, Kate's honesty, and Kate's tongue darting out over her lips.

"I think we should proceed with caution," Kate said.

"Agreed," Megan responded. "Wait…what does that mean?" She needed things spelled out for her.

Kate sighed as she continued to play with the sheets in front of her. "I find myself thinking about you."

Megan's cheeks were burning. "Likewise."

"It's just…we've both been through so much. I don't want things to get any messier."

Megan nodded, trying not to look as crushed as she felt.

"And I don't want to jeopardize the friendship I hope we've started." She reached over and gently rubbed the back of Megan's hand with her fingers as she spoke. Megan thought her actions betrayed her words, but she heeded them all the same.

"Me either," Megan admitted.

"So let's just…be cautious."

"Sounds good."

"Alright then," Kate said, giving her hand a final squeeze before letting go. Megan felt the absence of it as keenly as if her own hand had been cut off.

"Great." She pretended to examine her cuticles as she watched Kate get out of the bed and straighten out her clothes, pulling her skirt down from where it had hiked up. Megan threw on some sweats and walked Kate to the door, where the two stood facing each other like the night before.

"Think you'll be fully cured by Monday?" Kate joked.

Megan rolled her eyes. Now she was certain she knew where Lacey got it from.

"I'll be fine," she insisted.

"Good. Need a ride to your car?"

"I think I'll take a walk later, when I feel better." Megan knew she probably wouldn't be going anywhere until tomorrow. There was no way she was leaving the house now. "Thanks again for helping me. I promise I don't usually get like this."

"Trust me, I know," Kate smiled. Megan tried not to melt. Sadly, she felt like a handshake was much more likely this time than a kiss.

Kate did hug her, quickly, and then she was gone. Megan went back to bed and did not move for the rest of the day.


	9. Chapter 9

"What do you want from me!" Bud had exhausted every avenue he could think of trying to get Megan a search warrant for the Amanda Thompson case. Unfortunately, the fraternity president's father served on the Board of Trustees. Money and prestige were preventing their efforts.

"How is it this difficult!" Megan spat back at him. "It's a frat house! These places are practically designed with the intention of trapping and killing young girls."

"How do you know she didn't want to be there? How do you know she didn't drink herself to death all on her own?" Bud challenged. Megan glared back at him with the fury of a protective mother.

"Because I know," she whispered lethally.

Bud shook his head. "I'll keep trying, but you're gonna need to give me more to work with than that."

She rubbed her temples and looked down at the young woman. She had been found on the lawn between houses, both of which vehemently claimed they weren't serving alcohol at their parties. The mess had been cleaned up, but Amanda's proximity, the strange pink smudge on her hand, and the amount of alcohol in her system seemed like reasonable cause to search as far as Megan was concerned. She knew she'd find something if she was given access.

"We got cause of death yet?" Kate asked, a little out of breath as she popped her head into the lab, on her way from one meeting to the next. Megan jumped only slightly.

"Asphyxiation, most likely brought on by unconsciousness due to acute alcohol poisoning."

"So why aren't we searching the house?"

"Because the Greeks have friends in high places," Bud quipped. Kate was not amused. She watched as Megan rubbed her left hand. She knew her parasthesia acted up more when her nerves were at their limit.

"I'll call my friend Jess in the Dean's Office. We'll get you in."

"Kate, I've tried…" Bud started.

"I've got it," Kate cut him off. "I'll let you know when you should be on your way."

"Thank you," Megan offered softly. Kate tilted her head to the side, indicating she was happy to help. Because it meant they would be closer to solving the case, of course.

Bud paced back and forth for a few minutes before leaving. Sam had been silently watching from her stool across the lab. After Bud walked out, she approached Megan—who was still looking down at Amanda— and put her hand on her shoulder.

"Gotta be a tough one for you."

"They're all tough," Megan tried to hold it together. She looked straight up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Then she looked at Sam and attempted to smile. "This one's a little tougher."

"You'll make sure she gets justice. You always do," Sam smiled back.

"Thanks."

"Besides, sounds like Kate's got your back." She smirked at Megan moments longer than were necessary.

"Don't," Megan practically barked at her, looking her dead in the eye.

"I didn't say anything!" Sam threw her hands up. "I'm just glad you made it home safely Friday night. Somebody was obviously looking out for you."

Though she never would have admitted it, Megan was grateful for the reassurance. She needed it now more than ever.

* * *

><p>Kate came through with the search warrant by two, and by four it was clear that it wasn't worth anything. No evidence could be found in any of the surrounding fraternity houses to prove Amanda Thompson had even been there, much less been killed in one. Nothing was adding up. Megan hated to be wrong, but she hated feeling like she was letting Amanda down even more. She needed to escape from it all for a while as she regrouped.<p>

Back in her office, she flipped through the photo albums of Lacey on her Mac. She knew this was probably the least healthy thing she could do, but couldn't stop herself. Finally, she picked up the phone and dialed her number.

"Mom?" Lacey sounded groggy. "You okay?"

"Well hello to you too," Megan replied. She felt a little bit like her own mother. The thought made her cringe. "Everything's fine. Just wanted to see how you're doing. Were you sleeping?"

"I don't have class until five."

"It's 4:30. I just…"

"I spoke to you last night. I told you I would call later this week."

Megan frowned.

"I know, but does that mean I'm not allowed to call if…"

Megan heard coughing in the background and then a voice — a male voice — though she couldn't make out what he was saying. She heard some rustling and then Lacey cut her off.

"Mom, I have to go. Sorry."

The line went dead.

It took every ounce of strength Megan had not to hit redial. Her mind began to race, jumping to conclusions she simply could not handle at the moment.

Dr. Murphy knocked as she entered the office. Megan dropped her phone on the desk and quickly wiped away her tears. _Icing on the cake_, she thought.

Kate stopped in her tracks when she saw the state Megan was in. She took a deep breath, then slowly walked up to her desk and stood directly in front of it. She said nothing until Megan was forced to look at her.

"What's wrong?" Kate asked.

"What's not wrong?" Megan snapped, immediately feeling guilty. She wiped another stray tear and continued. "Sorry. On top of being at a dead end with the Thompson case, I think I just… interrupted Lacey…with a guy…in her room."

"Shit," Kate gasped, taking a step back. "Uh…that's…how do you know?"

"Its 4:30, she's still in bed, and I heard a deep voice grumbling in the background before she basically told me not to call her again."

Kate hesitated before responding. She crossed her arms, then put one finger in front of her lips as she thought.

"It could have been the TV," she suggested. "Or a study partner."

Megan glared at her.

"Trust me, I know. I don't want to know what I know, but I know."

Kate tried not to smile, or laugh, or do anything that would make Megan think she wasn't taking this just as seriously.

"Okay. But why would she answer the phone if she was having…"

"Kate!" Megan put her hands over her ears.

"It's a legitimate question! You could be imagining things."

"No. I told her I would wait for her to call me later in the week. We've been trying to establish boundaries. I call too much, I know. But she just lost one parent, so if the other one calls, even if it's inconvenient, she's going to answer because she's worried. I don't want to cause her any more stress than she's already been through, believe me. But how am I supposed to back off when I know _that's_ what's going on!"

Megan had herself so worked up the shaking in her hands had made its way to the rest of her body. Her teeth were practically chattering.

She watched as Kate turned around and walked back towards the door, thinking she had finally had enough with her. Instead, Kate closed the door and returned to the desk. This time, she stepped around the side of it and sat on the edge, facing Megan, right next to her chair. Megan looked up at her, then around the office, outside to the hallway, and then back at her again. Kate put her hand on her shoulder. She very gently traced her fingers over her red cashmere sweater. Megan's breathing sped up before evening out. She closed her eyes and leaned back a little in her chair.

"You're gonna make yourself sick if you don't calm down," Kate lightly scolded. "Then you won't be any good to anyone."

Megan smirked, her eyes still closed. She felt Kate's fingers make their way down her arm, stopping at the wrist, lingering there.

"Have you talked to Lacey about sex?"

"Sort of," Megan admitted, the word and Kate's fingertips on her wrist sending tingles back up her arm. "Every time I tried she said she already knew. I gave her the basic 'Make-sure-you-really-care-about-the-person-and-use-protection-speech,' but I never really worried about her. I always knew where she was. Now I barely know her class schedule, let alone who's sleeping over."

"Listen," Kate said, trying not to change the tone of her voice, continuing to trace her nails over Megan's skin to keep her calm. "I didn't say anything before because I didn't want to break Lacey's trust, and I told her if things got serious she should tell you, but now…"

Megan's eyes shot open. She pulled her hand away and looked up at her boss.

"She's _dating_ someone and she told _you_?"

Kate tried not to feel offended. She knew it wasn't personal this time.

"She didn't even give me a name, Megan. I don't want us to jump to conclusions. Just wait till she calls next and ask her yourself."

"Oh right, because if she's telling you instead of me, that's a great sign she's going to answer all my questions."

"I'm sorry," Kate huffed. "I did what I thought was right. I've never been in this position before."

Megan wondered exactly what position Kate was in. She didn't think either of them could answer that question just yet. She knew it wasn't Kate's fault, but the fact that Lacey would rather confide in her when it came to things like this was a hard pill to swallow. Still, it was better than her daughter not having anyone to talk to. Once again, on some level, she had to be very thankful to Kate for helping her survive these changes. Without her, she'd be facing them completely alone.

Kate went to stand, but before she could, Megan reached out and gently pressed her hand down on the desk. She looked up at the blonde. So many questions seemed to flood the space between them. Lines of all sorts continued to be crossed, while some crucial ones had not. Nevertheless, as much as they continued to fight it, the universe seemed to be conspiring to wash away whatever boundaries remained.

Megan was about to speak, not knowing exactly what was going to come out of her mouth, when she saw Ethan speeding down the hall towards her door. She quickly let go of Kate's hand, and Kate shot up from the desk just as he entered.

"You guys have to see this," he demanded, out of breath.

The two women jumped to their feet and tried to bring themselves back to reality as they made their way to the lab.


	10. Chapter 10

"So you remember the pink smudge on Amanda's hand?" Ethan asked them.

"No, Ethan, we forgot," Megan responded sarcastically, urging him to get to the point.

"Okay. So I started to research the symbols fraternities use to promote themselves to pledges. But then I realized, pink isn't really considered such a frat-tastic, manly color…you know…traditionally."

Kate rolled her eyes. Megan shook her head.

"_Anyway_, I was right," he boasted. "There aren't any frats that use pink symbols, but there are plenty of sororities that do." He quickly brought up some Google images on the monitor. One in particular—a tall, skinny feline figure with a long tail that curled up— immediately stood out to Megan.

"This," she said, touching the screen.

"Exactly. And I used this computer module to match it with the mark on Amanda's hand, and..." he pulled up the simulation, which morphed the smudge back into its original shape, showing what it had looked like prior to getting smeared across her skin.

"And this proves what?" Kate asked.

"I called Detective Morris and had him pull up the social-networking page for Kappa Gamma Kappa," Ethan tried to explain as quickly as possible. "Turns out they had a party for their new pledges last Thursday night."

Bud walked in and handed Megan a print out of the event page. "Wanna take a guess what their symbol is?"

Everything was becoming clear. Megan looked at Kate, who seemed to be forming the same conclusions. The thought that girls could do this to another girl was not so far-fetched. They both knew all too well how cruel young women could be to each other, especially when they realized that society mainly valued them for their attractiveness and ability to get in good with the boys, leading to competition among those who were supposed to be their sisters. Megan's mother tried to get her to pledge, but she'd dropped out after the first few days. Unfortunately, Amanda hadn't been as lucky.

* * *

><p>Within an hour, the entire executive board of Kappa Gamma Kappa and some of the pledges who had been in contact with Amanda Thompson via social networking were rounded up and brought into the interrogation room. Bud led the questioning while Kate and Megan stood behind the window and watched. The girls—decked out to the nines in matching green dresses with pink ribbons in their hair and pearls around their necks—remained silent and stared straight ahead at the mirror.<p>

"Look, we know she was at your party," Bud began.

Silence.

"And I know you're not supposed to have alcohol at these things, but every one of you does it anyway," he continued.

"Right," the leader of the pack, Bridget, interrupted. "All of us do. So why are you questioning us?"

"Because Amanda Thompson was pledging _your_ sorority, and according to her online accounts and her family, she didn't have many other friends. The only place she could have been drinking that night was at your party. So whose gonna tell me what happened?"

Silence.

Megan sighed loudly behind the glass.

"He's not getting anywhere," she groaned.

Kate smirked. "You going in?"

Megan looked back at her, surprised. "Are you encouraging me?"

Kate shrugged. "I figure if anyone's got it in them to intimidate the hell out of some college girls right now, it's you."

Megan would have laughed a lot harder if the situation weren't so grim.

Moments later, she entered the room. Bud looked only slightly ticked off by intrusion. He seemed to know he was in over his head. She crossed in front of the table, eyeing the girls with a look of sincere disappointment.

"Would you excuse us, Detective Morris."

"Who is she?" Bridget asked.

Bud shook his head. "You're about to find out. Good luck."

When the door closed behind him, Megan sat at the table across from the young women.

"So," she began calmly, which had the girls even more freaked out than if she had been yelling. "Want to tell me whose idea it was to dump Amanda in the middle of fraternity row?"

They continued to say nothing, but Megan could tell by some of their flinching that she was getting somewhere.

"I know all of you must have helped. That's the spirit of sisterhood, right? You stick together?" She eyed Celia, the youngest one on the end. The girl shrank a little in her chair.

"Plus," Megan went on, "There's no way one of you could carry a body that distance by yourself, at least not noticeably. But one of you had to have the brilliant idea to leave her there in the first place." She trailed her eyes back to Bridget.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Well clearly you're the ringleader," Megan deadpanned. "The queen bee. You enlist your drones—sorry, sisters—to look and talk and eventually act just like you. They'll do whatever you tell them."

Many of the other girls looked uncomfortable, even resentful of Megan's accusation, but no one chimed in to deny it.

"It was a clever plan, whoever came up with it. Surely everyone would suspect the boys, and with good reason. Many of them are far from innocent. But you girls…" She had to pause to maintain control. "You're supposed to be each other's allies, your protectors. Were you even planning on letting Amanda into your chapter, or were you just toying with her?"

"She wanted to rush," Bridget finally responded. "Nobody made her do it."

"No, but you really didn't want her, did you? What was it about her that kept her from making the cut? Her original sense of style? Her curly hair?"

Celia was starting to crack.

"Are you a freshmen?" she asked her.

"Sophomore," the girl replied timidly. "My…my parents wouldn't let me rush last year."

"So you waited a whole year just to be part of a group that doesn't really want you either, do they?"

"That's not true," she began to cry.

"It's okay, not everyone can conform as easily as the rest. That will end up being one of your strengths," she smiled. "I like your nail polish. Pretty shade of blue."

The girl's eyes lit up a little.

"Amanda was wearing the same color," Megan noted. This hit Celia hard. Her tears began to fall.

"We…we painted them together before going to the party. We said if it got too intense we'd leave together."

"Celia!" Bridget scolded. Megan shot her a look that was so fierce the girl knew she was lucky it wasn't a slap.

"It's okay," Megan assured Celia. "Tell me what happened to your friend."

"We…we were all sitting in the house, playing this game."

"Celia, you are so…" Bridget yelled.

"Don't open your mouth again!" Megan snarled through gritted teeth. She turned back to Celia, urging her to continue.

"The girls who said 'no' to the questions got hit with the paddle. The ones who said 'yes' had to chug. Amanda couldn't take the paddle anymore. She started digging her nails into the wall it hurt so bad. She said she'd rather just chug"

"What kinds of questions?" Megan asked.

Celia turned even brighter red, blushing through her tears. "About…sex."

"I see," Megan breathed deeply. She was fighting hard not to break down. "So Amanda didn't want to answer 'yes' because she hadn't done anything yet?"

Celia nodded. Megan turned back to Bridget. "Why were you hitting them for this?"

Bridget was stone-faced. The girl next to her, Erica, finally spoke up.

"The KGs have a reputation to keep."

"What kind of reputation?" Megan continued to dig. "With who?"

"The frats," Erica admitted.

Megan nodded. Of course. The sororities with the girls who were most likely to put out—or at least purported to—were the most likely to get invited to Crush, and every other big event on campus that determined status.

"And the chugging?" Megan continued.

"Everyone needs to learn how to chug. You have to be able to keep up with the guys."

Megan nodded again. She numbed herself as best she could to the painful realities being laid out before her. She reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope, and from the envelope a photo of Amanda lying on the autopsy table with the sheet covering everything but her face. She showed it to the girls, all of whom gasped, some shrinking away, and some, especially Celia, completely losing it.

"See this? Doesn't matter how much experience you have, or even how tall you are or how much you weigh. Women's bodies cannot process alcohol at the same rate as men's. This," she shoved the image closer towards them, making sure they got a good look at it. "This is where trying to act like the boys will get you."

She looked at Celia. "And you're better than this."

They had enough now to arrest Bridget and the others on the e-board, along with Celia, who hadn't left her friend's side when she passed out, but had helped abandon her once she realized what their attempts to fit in had accomplished.


	11. Chapter 11

Megan stood over Amanda in the lab. It had become ritual for her to say goodbye to the victims she helped before turning them over to their families. As much as she wanted to linger on this one a little longer than the others, she knew it was time to move on. Somehow, though, it didn't feel like justice this time. There were still so many girls out there who would be faced with similar situations. Megan quickly put that thought out of her mind and tried to make peace with Amanda before tucking her body away for the night.

Back in her office, she slowly approached her desk, piled high with paperwork that still needed to be completed, samples, evidence bags, and the looming manila envelope that held her father's exhumation order. She hadn't forgotten it, just put it off during the case. She was about to look over it again when she heard the familiar sound of high heels clicking towards her. She turned around just as Kate came into the doorframe. The beige slacks she wore, topped off by a sky blue sweater, made her look more relaxed than the usual bold hues she dressed in. Still, the light from the hallway highlighted her silhouette geniusly.

"You were great today," Kate started.

"It came naturally," Megan shrugged. "Under the circumstances."

Kate smirked. She stepped into the office, still keeping her distance. Megan sat on the front of her desk and crossed her legs, which stood out in contrast from the black leather skirt she wore. Kate gulped, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she shifted from one leg to the other. She watched as Megan picked up a framed picture of her and Lacey and traced the edges with her finger.

"Planning to call her back?" Kate asked.

"No," Megan sighed, setting the frame back down. "This is the hardest test I've faced yet, but it's time. I need to trust her."

"Do you trust her?" Kate asked, crossing her arms, stepping closer.

Megan wobbled her head back and forth, thinking. "Mostly. She's never lied to me before, but knowing she's keeping things from me doesn't exactly gain her any points either."

Kate still wasn't sure how much her input was wanted. She paused for a moment before offering her own thoughts.

"You know she's terrified of disappointing you, right?"

Megan looked up at her, taken aback. Lacey told her once before, when she'd first talked about wanting to study art instead of science, that she was afraid of disappointing her. But the fact that Kate knew about it meant it was a much deeper fear than she'd realized.

"She mentioned it once, when she was younger…but…still?"

"She looks up to you," Kate assured her. "Even if she acts like you drive her crazy. She's seen how successful you are, how you carry yourself. You're kind of a hard act to follow."

Megan smiled and shook her head. She still couldn't believe all the compliments this woman was throwing at her as of late. It felt weird, even as it made her legs weak.

"I'm not so sure I carry myself perfectly," Megan challenged.

"Who said anything about perfect?" Kate corrected.

Megan scoffed, though she was clearly not offended.

"So what about this," Kate gestured toward the envelope on the desk that held the exhumation order.

"Honestly, I haven't given it much thought," Megan admitted. "It's one of those things where you can't wait to get your hands on it, but now that it's real, I'm sort of calling my own bluff."

"You think it would be too traumatic?"

Megan shrugged. "Maybe I just needed to know someone believed in me enough to give me the chance."

Kate tried not to let Megan's fickleness with the matter affect her personally. It had been much more difficult than she had let on to get the order signed by the judge, requiring almost a full day's research in their archives, some pleading and promises she would rather have not made, but she wouldn't let Megan know any of that. Ultimately, it was a very tough decision, and it was Megan's alone to make.

"Well, I guess I can take this back then," she couldn't help but tease, reaching for the envelope, holding it up over her head.

"Hey!" Megan shouted as Kate continued to keep it just out of reach. Both broke into laughter, a bit delirious from the running around they'd done earlier, not to mention the heaviness of everything surrounding them. Megan hopped off the desk and jumped up, finally grabbing the envelope, which Kate easily returned as they continued to laugh. It wasn't until they were both standing, and Megan had the document back in her hand that they realized how close they were. Megan quickly put the order back on the desk, but their bodies were still practically flush. She tried to keep breathing, just as hard as she tried not to look down at Kate's chest, which was heaving a little. She quickly sent her eyes up to Kate's face, but this was equally treacherous territory. The woman looked back at her, blue eyes searching, her lips slightly parted. Megan felt her breath on her face. Her knees threatened to buckle. Kate must have sensed this because she pushed Megan back against the edge of the desk and held her shoulders just enough to keep her from falling. All of this happened in a matter of seconds, but Megan felt like their movements were in slow motion, like swimming through Jello. Her heart was pounding, but she was determined not the make the first move again.

Fortunately, she didn't have to. Kate closed her eyes and moved forward, bringing their lips together. Very soft, plump lips brushed ever so carefully over Megan's. She stopped fighting and kissed Kate back, letting the tension slip from her body. One of Kate's hands made its way to Megan's face, where her fingers smoothed over her cheek as she continued to kiss her, sucking lightly on her bottom lip. Megan finally slid one hand around Kate's waist and pulled them even closer together, to which Kate moaned softly again her mouth. The vibrations sent tickles through Megan's ears, and she was forced to pull away, feeling dizzy again. She gasped as Kate let go and stepped back, fixing her hair and smoothing out the wrinkles in her sweater.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," Megan whispered, wiping the smeared lip gloss from around her lips. "I just thought we were being cautious."

Kate looked around, suddenly remembering where they were, silently chastising herself.

"I think we're the only ones left," she assured them both.

"Good," Megan sighed. "Not that I would care…if it weren't, you know…here."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you'd have no problem making out with me in public, so long as it wasn't at work?"

Megan felt wetness gathering between her legs. She was losing control again, only this time it was not quite as frightening as before.

"Maybe I am," she teased back.

"Really? And you don't think anyone would think it was inappropriate for Philadelphia's Chief Medical Examiner to be seen locking lips with one of her staff?"

Megan guffawed as she licked her bottom lip. "I think Philadelphia's got plenty of other things to worry about."

Kate rolled her eyes, clearly still conflicted, but the color in her cheeks and the fact that she was now practically on top of Megan again assured the redhead this was far from over.

"What are we doing?" Kate asked.

"You tell me."

"This is…beyond…"

"Inappropriate. I know," Megan played with the buttons on her sweater.

"I'm the one always telling people not to let their personal lives interfere with their work. Of course, I never seem to be able to follow my own rules."

Megan rolled her eyes. "Why start now?"

Her intense, green gaze helped dissolve Kate's inhibitions. She slowly touched the buttons on Megan's sweater herself, fingering the ones just over her navel. Megan's breath caught. She grabbed Kate's hand and began tracing the lines of her palm with her fingertips.

"I guess there's no harm in just… trying to figure out where this is going," Kate suggested.

"Agreed."

"You hungry?" Kate asked.

"I…could eat. Yes." she responded.

"Great."

The two left the office and set out for Gallagher's. This time, Megan drove.


	12. Chapter 12

Megan sat at the bar and watched in awe as Kate sucked the meat off a drumstick, letting the sauce drip from her fingers.

"I never would have taken you for a chicken wings and beer kind of girl," she noted, totally amused.

"I grew up in the South," Kate shrugged.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have guessed that either. You don't even have an accent."

"Took me years to get rid of it."

"Too bad," Megan teased. "I bet it was cute."

Kate rolled her eyes. "It's already hard enough being blonde-haired, blue-eyed and a D-cup in this profession. The accent just made people assume I was that much less competent."

Megan nodded, knowing it was true.

"Anyway," Kate continued. "It still comes out when I'm around my family."

"Do you miss them?" Megan felt like she could ask now.

"Some of them. My sister, my niece and nephew. It would be nice to watch them grow up. But…" she trailed off, and Megan realized she was done sharing, for now.

"Trust me, I get it. Families are tough."

"Were you and your mother ever close?" Kate wondered.

"Never. She worked all the time, and even when she was around, my dad and I just had more of a natural affinity for one another."

Kate was gaining more insight into why Megan was trying to do everything in her power not to repeat the same mistakes with Lacey. She finished her wings and looked over at Megan, who was just chewing her last celery stick and washing it down with the rest of her beer.

"Want another one?" Kate offered.

"Not tonight," Megan sighed. "I don't think we need a repeat of last time. Plus, it's a Monday. I can't be late for work tomorrow. I'd hate to get in trouble."

Kate narrowed her eyes and grinned at her. "You've always been trouble."

"I think you like it," Megan flirted back. She bit her bottom lip. Hard as it was, she kept her promise to be discreet.

When the check arrived, both of them reached for it. They had to laugh.

"Um…" Kate wasn't sure what to do here.

"Let's split it, yes?" Megan suggested.

Kate shifted on her stool, suddenly feeling awkward. Things weren't that different when it came to paying on a date, but she knew there would be other areas where she'd feel even more clueless.

"Don't worry," Megan assured her, putting her hand on her leg as discreetly as she could. "This is new for me too."

Minutes later they were back at the office, pulling into the parking garage. It was empty now except for their own vehicles and those of the night security team, who occasionally rode by on their golf carts making their rounds. It was time to say goodnight, but Kate felt like stalling.

"How many days are you gonna to wait for Lacey to call?" she asked.

"Sunday. She usually calls then, but I'm hoping for sooner considering how we left things."

"I hope so too," Kate smiled.

"If she calls you," Megan began hesitantly. "Would you…"

"What?" Kate arched an eyebrow. "Fill you in on everything she tells me? I can't do that, Megan."

"Excuse me?" Megan responded, agitated.

"I'm not gonna be your spy. Then she's liable stop talking to both of us."

Megan crossed her arms, knowing Kate was right.

"I don't think I should even mention it if she calls," Kate continued. "You might get mad if I hear from her first."

"I won't!" Megan turned in her seat so she could face her more fully. "I'm thankful for you. You have to know that. Even if I haven't always shown it."

Kate reached out and brushed some of her auburn hair behind her ear. She traced the lobe, playing with Megan's earring, then continued to trail her finger along the edge of her jaw, to the tip of her chin, where she stopped.

"You can show me now," she whispered.

Megan grabbed Kate's face and kissed her, softly at first, then more fiercely as Kate buried her hands in her hair and pulled her closer. Megan caressed her cheeks as she kissed her deeper and deeper, finally teasing her lips open with her tongue. Kate let her in, melting her own tongue against Megan's. Megan shivered at the sensation, bringing her hands down to Kate's neck, which she tickled lightly with her fingertips as Kate lapped at the insides of her mouth. Megan marveled at how new and yet familiar this felt. She breathed in Kate's scent, bringing her mouth to her neck, sucking the space just behind her ear. Kate dug her nails into Megan's back, her hands searching just beneath her sweater, feeling the smooth skin there for the first time.

"God," Megan couldn't help but moan into her neck. "Are we really doing this?"

"Try not to analyze it," Kate shivered.

Megan nibbled on her skin, biting down just hard enough for Kate to arch her back. She hissed, and brought her lips back to Megan's.

"I don't want to go," Kate panted.

Megan swallowed. "Come home with me again."

Kate pulled back so she could look into her eyes. "I'm afraid… the next time I spend the night, I won't be able to sleep with my clothes on."

Megan brought her lips right in front of Kate's, so they were just barely touching.

"I was hoping you'd say that." She kissed her again, harder this time. Kate brought her hands to Megan's stomach, running her fingertips from just beneath her breasts to the top of her skirt. Megan giggled. Kate caught her laugh in her mouth and kissed her while grabbing her more firmly around the waist. She felt Megan's hands on her chest, just above her breasts, kneading her collarbones. They both seemed to be coming up against invisible force fields, worried about taking things too far in their current location. Kate stopped for a moment, bringing them back to their present time and place.

"Megan…"

"Uh huh," Megan mumbled, slowly opening her eyes.

"I really…really want to do this. I just think… we should probably wait till we're more comfortable, and when we don't have to be back here at eight a.m."

Megan sobered up from the daze she was in. She felt like every pore, every cell was tingling.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Friday," Kate offered. "Come to my place for dinner."

"Perfect," Megan smiled. She gave her one last, playful kiss before moving back into the driver's seat and fixing her clothes.

"See you in the morning, Dr. Hunt," Kate whispered before getting out of the car. Megan watched as she started to pull away. She could not believe she had just made out with Kate Murphy—fucking Kate Murphy!—in her car, in front of the office. _How is this real?_ she thought. She shook her shoulders, her head, everything, making sure she wasn't dreaming before turning the key and heading home.


	13. Chapter 13

The rest of the week was pure hell, not because the cases were difficult, but solely because Friday could not come soon enough. They tried to act as normal as they possibly could, though things had never really been "normal" between them. Sure enough, people started to notice.

"Are you guys fighting _again_?" Peter asked Megan, leaning against the window in the lab while Megan sectioned the brain of a man who was found dead on the side of the freeway.

"Nope. Everything's good." Megan tried to be brief and light-hearted, which she realized was probably even more of a giveaway.

"Well something's up. You guys seem to be avoiding each other like the plague."

Finally, she looked up, raising her scalpel and turning towards Peter.

"Why is everyone always so concerned about what's going on between us? I don't know how anyone actually gets any work done around here."

"We care about you guys, alright?" Peter scoffed, trying to sound innocent.

"Thanks," Megan shot back sarcastically.

"Besides, it's not like anything particularly interesting is happening in our own lives these days. But you two, you've always got something brewing. How can we help but be entertained?"

Megan turned beet red. She did not like the idea of her and Kate "entertaining" anyone but each other. If this turned out to be more than just some trauma-induced, lust-crazed insanity, they'd have to discuss just how public they'd want to be, and with whom.

"Wow, Peter, that's really depressing," Kate chimed in as she entered the lab from the other door, appearing in full scrubs with her hair pulled back. _She looks great in purple_, Megan thought. _Shit_. She checked to see if Peter had noticed anything. She was relieved to see nothing but embarrassment on his face.

"Sorry, Kate."

"If you're so concerned about our well-being, why don't you run down to the station and get that evidence from Bud so we can get out of here at a decent time?"

"Sure," he groaned, leaving to go on his errand.

Kate looked back at Megan, who was trying to hold in her laughter.

"What?"

"You're cruel," she finally giggled.

"It was either that or listen to him play guessing games about us," Kate insisted. "Besides, we have work to do."

Megan handed her a set of gloves. Kate put them on and adjusted her goggles, and the two worked side by side in silence for a while. Megan was focused on the task at hand, but in the back of her mind she couldn't help but wonder whether this week was as hard for Kate as it was for her. She finally asked Kate to look through the microscope at some cerebral tissue. Kate peered through the lens, and after concurring with Megan's assessment, stayed near the microscope as Megan continued to compare different slides.

"Do you like salmon?" Kate spoke softly.

Megan looked up at her, relieved.

"Love it," she smiled.

"Good," Kate said as she removed her gloves and goggles. "How's eight o'clock? That'll give me time to straighten up, get everything ready."

"Should I bring wine?" She didn't intend to get drunk, but Megan thought some alcohol might help calm their nerves.

"Please," Kate whispered.

She swept her fingers across Megan's shoulders before leaving the lab. Megan realized it was only Wednesday and cursed under her breath.

* * *

><p>Thursday night Megan finally got a call from Lacey. She resisted the urge to barrage her with questions about potential love interests. At least not right off the bat.<p>

"How are classes?"

"Great," Lacey told her. "I'm actually enjoying drawing more than painting. It's challenging, but I like it."

"Good," Megan responded, trying to sound cheerful. "And everything else? Friends?"

"I've met a lot of cool people."

Megan thought she was being more vague than usual.

"Anyone…you know…special?"

"Not really," Lacey continued, sounding a little irritable. Megan could tell that wasn't the whole truth. It hurt tremendously, but she tried not to panic.

"What about you?" Lacey asked, throwing Megan for a loop.

"Me? Uh..."

"What about that FBI guy from a while back?"

"Derek? God, Lace, that was a long time ago. I practically forgot about him."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure you'll meet someone else." This was one of those moments when Megan felt like she was the child, and right now, it made her feel particularly horrible.

"Alright, be safe. I'm really looking forward to seeing you for Thanksgiving."

"Me too, mom. Love you."

After they hung up, she cried for the first time in about a week, a new record.


	14. Chapter 14

Friday after work, Megan picked up a bottle of wine—a pricey sauvignon blanc she'd been wanting to try and knew would go nicely with salmon—before going home and staring blankly at her closet for a good long while. Current issues aside, she really wished Lacey was there to help her pick something. Then again, that would lead to telling her who she was going on a date with, and that was not something she could even begin to fathom.

She finally chose a dress. Burgundy, low-cut, but not over-the-top. She wasn't sure how far things would go this evening, but she had a pretty good feeling she should wear something just as nice underneath. Just in case.

When she arrived at the door to Kate's apartment, the lump in her throat was massive. She took a deep breath and knocked.

Kate answered and Megan's heart threatened to detonate. How she could look any more exquisite than she did every day at work was baffling. She wore a tan, sleeveless dress, lower cut than Megan's but still very classy. Her gold necklace stopped just above her more than ample cleavage, which Megan promised herself now she would not stare at until she'd had at least two glasses of wine. Her hair was wavy and tousled around her shoulders. Megan was sure she'd never laid eyes on anyone more beautiful.

"Hi," Kate welcomed her. "Come in. Dinner's almost ready. I could totally use a glass of wine now though. I've been on the phone with the mayor for over an hour. Finally convinced him it was time to start enjoying the weekend."

Megan walked into the spacious loft, checking out the art and cozy yet very stylish digs.

"Nice place, Dr. Murphy," she noted.

"Thanks. I've been here nine years and I think I've almost got things the way I want them."

"It's really you," Megan continued.

"Hmm," Kate mused as she took the bottle from Megan's hands and worked at uncorking it. "Guess that's what I was going for."

Megan watched as Kate poured, her hands shaking a little. She gave Megan one of the glasses.

"Toast?" Kate asked.

"Uh," Megan smiled, searching for something good. "To…figuring out…something…"

Kate smirked. "That works."

They clinked their glasses together. Both took a good sip as they continued to look at each other. Kate leaned against the marble. She seemed to almost be holding her breath. Megan couldn't help but reach out and take her hand.

"Nervous?" she asked, knowing the answer.

Kate fidgeted. "Why should I be nervous?"

Megan narrowed her eyes. "Answering my question with another question. You're good." She laced her fingers more tightly with Kate's. Kate put her wine glass down and grabbed Megan's other hand, pulling her closer. Megan stood on her toes and brought her lips to Kate's, just barely kissing her before planting her feet back on the floor.

"This is just…something I was sure would never happen," Kate whispered.

"Tell me about it," Megan laughed. "Wait. You said you didn't know when you first thought about it, but thinking it _wouldn't_ happen implies thinking about _wanting_ it to happen…so…"

Kate rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. "I should have known you wouldn't let it go."

Now Megan glared at her more intently. "Why should I?"

Kate tried to appear innocent, gently pulling herself away so should could remove the fish from the oven. "Can't we just be glad it's happening now? I mean…" She poked at the salmon with a fork, examining the tender flakes. Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her waist. Megan pressed her body softly against Kate from behind and rested her chin on her shoulder.

"This looks amazing," she whispered.

"Thanks," Kate smiled. "I'll let you taste it before giving the final verdict."

The two talked mostly about work during dinner, which Megan deemed exceptionally delicious.

"Ethan's bound to get scooped up by another office eventually. He's well on his way," Megan argued.

"Someday. Is he brilliant? Yes. But his instincts are still a little green."

Kate's phone began to ring from the kitchen.

"Sorry," she apologized as she got up to retrieve it. "I meant to turn that off."

Megan noticed the strange expression on Kate's face when she looked at the screen. The blonde walked back to the table and put the phone next to her. Moments later, it rang again. Megan couldn't help but glance over. It was Lacey.

"She usually call on Fridays?" Megan asked.

"Occasionally."

"Answer it," Megan urged.

Kate hesitated.

"What if something's wrong?" Megan insisted. "Answer it."

Kate knew this was not the time to argue. She hit the accept button and quickly stood, crossing back into the kitchen to take the call.

"Hi Lacey. What's up?"

Megan was trying to send herself into a Zen state so as not to overreact. Kate had done nothing wrong, after all.

"I'm kinda in the middle of something right now. Can I call you back tomorrow?" Kate asked as Megan continued to listen. "Uh huh. Oh." Kate shot Megan a look that meant "keep quiet and don't listen," but she had to know it was pointless. "Okay. Well…I think it's a good idea to get…that…first. But, if you can't wait, you know what precautions to take in the meantime. They're pretty effective."

Megan was about to fucking die.

"Listen, Lacey," Kate tried to whisper. "You know I'm always here to talk about these things, but I have to say… its really hard being in the middle. It didn't feel right before, and now, with your mom…"

Megan would have given her right ear to be able to listen to what Lacey was saying on the other end.

"I won't, you know that…I just…could you please promise me that you will talk to her about it? She loves you so much. She wants what's best for you, but she knows you're an adult and you have to make your own decisions."

Megan scraped at her plate with her fork, making an irritating noise that was not meant to annoy Kate, but she couldn't help it.

"Promise? Okay, talk to you soon. Bye." She hung up and walked back to the table. She sat down, not looking at Megan for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she glanced back up at her, determined to keep her resolve.

"Well?" Megan asked quietly.

"Do I even have to say it?" Kate looked so uncomfortable, Megan really did feel for her, despite the fact that she was practically boiling.

"She asked you about birth control?"

Kate put her hand to her forehead and took a deep breath. "I don't know what you want me to do."

"I don't want you to do anything," Megan demanded. "You shouldn't be the one talking to her about this. Why does she feel like she can talk to you and not me?"

"You heard what I said," Kate shot back. "I told her to tell you."

"But she doesn't want to."

"I think she does. She will. She's just scared."

"How do you know that?" Megan yelled.

Kate seethed. "I did _not_ want to be put in this situation _again_."

Megan sat up a little straighter.

"You mean between Lacey and one of her parents?"

Kate looked up at her again quickly.

"I didn't…"

"I know. You didn't ask to be. I get it." Megan stood, removed her napkin from her lap and brought their plates into the kitchen. Kate followed her.

"Megan…"

"I don't want to be upset with you," Megan turned around after dropping the dishes in the sink, facing her, gripping the counter on either side. "But you have to understand… this…I don't even know what to do with all of this."

Megan looked down at the floor. She couldn't begin to sort through everything that had just been stirred back up again, right when she thought maybe, just maybe, things were starting to make sense. Not only was she completely uncomfortable with the fact that Lacey would rather go to Kate about something so important, but there he was again: Todd. For as long as he'd been dead—which wasn't all that long, really—he never seemed to be too far removed from the situation. Megan realized they had to talk about it. It was the only way they could really move on, _if_ they could. She looked back up at Kate, who she had never seen looking less sure of herself.

"How can you…" Megan swallowed, then began again. "How can you look at me…be involved in Lacey's life…and not think about Todd?"

Kate appeared only slightly taken aback by the turn in the conversation.

"How," Megan continued, "am I supposed to look at you…without remembering that he's…" She had to stop.

Kate took her time trying to figure out where to begin. When she finally did, she waited for Megan to look her in the eye.

"I never really wanted Todd," she began shakily. "I've told you some of why I did it, but there's no excuse. I don't know how to apologize enough. I never, ever should have gone out with him."

"But you did," Megan shrugged.

"Yes, I did. And I can't take it back, and I don't think I can even completely regret it because ultimately it brought me closer to Lacey. I adore her, Megan. You know that," she stressed, watching as Megan's eyes got teary again.

"And as for you…" she continued, trying to maintain control, but failing. "I've wanted this for so long. I think I must have known it…subconsciously…when I was dating Todd."

Megan shook her head.

"And that sounds sick, I know," Kate continued. "And maybe I can't even explain it well enough for you to understand, but…as the relationship went on, when I was put between the two of you, when I was forced to take sides… it was always yours."

Megan knew this was true, though she still felt like the room was spinning.

"I defended you to him so many times, I think he knew you came first," Kate admitted. "Not because you work for me, not just because I think you're one of the strongest, most fascinating people I've ever known, but because I have never been more attracted another woman in my entire life. My parents pressured me into dating guy after guy, and I did it for as long as I could. But with you… I _can't_ deny it anymore, and I can't punish myself for all the mistakes I've made trying to hide. For the last three years, all I've wanted was to figure out how to make things right between us, but I know I can't expect you to forgive me, or want the same things, or forget everything that's happened."

Megan was not as good at holding her emotions in. Her face was red, and she danced her fingers on the marble behind her.

"I don't think I can forget…" she finally responded, her voice threatening to break.

Kate nodded, wiping a tear away. She looked so defeated. Megan couldn't stand it.

"But I can forgive," she continued. "I can try to move on knowing what's happened, knowing you're still here, with me. You've stuck by me through more than anyone ever has."

"Megan, I'm so sorry," Kate whispered again through her tears.

"I know." She took a few steps towards Kate and put her arms around her again, holding her tight. She felt Kate squeeze back, felt her shoulders tremble as the tears finally came freely.

Seeing Kate so broken down hit Megan in the gut. She believed that if there were no Todd, no Lacey even, she would still have been absolutely, madly, ridiculously enchanted by this woman. She had never felt like this before, not with Todd, not with anyone, and she was not about to let him or anyone else stand in the way of it.

"Curtis was right," Megan mumbled, her face buried in Kate's hair. "We are the same kind of crazy."

Kate pulled back and looked at her, panic in her eyes.

"Oh no, no, he doesn't know anything. He just said that once. When we were fighting."

"Could we try not to fight that much from here on out?" Kate suggested, wiping her eyes, trying to fix her mascara. "Maybe we got it all out of the way before dating each other."

Megan smiled. "Are we dating?"

Kate sniffled. "What else would you call this?"

"I don't know," Megan teased. "Let's see how the rest of the evening goes. If we don't make each other cry again, maybe we'll consider it."

"Deal," Kate laughed.

"We still need to talk about Lacey," Megan shook her head. "But I can't do anything about it now, so it's either drink the rest of this bottle of wine or find some other way to entertain ourselves."

"I got us a movie. Just in case."

Megan helped clean up the rest of the dinner mess before they ventured into the living room.


	15. Chapter 15

"What is it?" Megan tried to sneak a peek at the box. Kate hid it from her.

"You'll see."

After loading the film, she sat on the couch next to Megan and reached for the remote. The title screen appeared. It was _Summertime_, the 1955 classic with Katharine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi, who gallivant around Venice carrying on a tortured love affair. Megan had seen it at least a dozen times. She remembered the conversation she'd had that night several months ago at Gallagher's with Kate and Peter.

Megan smiled and shook her head. "Didn't you have a date that night? I'm surprised you remembered."

"I never said it was a date. You and Peter assumed."

Megan's mouth gaped open. Kate acted incredulously as she curled her feet up underneath her and hit play on the DVD. She motioned for Megan to scoot closer to her on the couch. Megan slid into the nook between her arm and torso. She felt a little like they were back in high school. All they were missing was a bowl of popcorn and the threat of parents walking in on them at any moment. Instead, they were completely alone, and that freedom seemed to sit with them for a while as they pretended to watch the film.

Megan was genuinely invested of course, but not as much as she was in the fact that Kate was now playing with her hair, gently massaging her scalp. About a quarter of the way in, right as Hepburn's character was starting to reconsider swearing off romance during her Italian holiday, Megan turned her face into Kate's neck. She nuzzled her there, rubbing her nose against her jaw, breathing her in.

"You're gonna miss the part where she falls in the canal," Kate whispered.

Megan continued to nuzzle, and then very lightly, almost barely, kiss her neck. Kate shifted, continuing to play with her hair, trying her best to resist, torturing them both. Megan decided she needed to up the ante and began sucking on the smooth skin.

Finally, Kate turned towards her, leaning back against the arm of the couch. Megan looked over the blonde, her dress hugging every curve so tightly and riding up a little from the way she was sitting. Megan's dress gave a bit more, so she was able to adjust herself to straddle Kate's legs. The blonde's breath caught as Megan leaned down. She teased Kate with kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, her chin. Finally she returned to her neck, where she licked against her corroded artery, feeling the quickness of her pulse with the tip of her tongue.

Kate arched her back and locked her arms behind Megan's waist, pulling her tighter. Megan brought her lips to Kate's mouth and slid inside, and soon they were making out in full abandon. Their tongues danced together in their mouths as they breathed heavily and shivered, rocking back and forth in tandem with the rhythm of their kisses. Kate's hands traveled down to Megan's ass, which she grabbed through her dress before carefully lifting it up and squeezing the smooth globes.

"Mmm," she moaned into Kate's mouth.

Kate pulled back briefly. "Can I take this off?"

Megan nodded, and helped lift the burgundy dress over her head. Kate looked up at the sight before her, taking in the expanse of ivory skin, her breasts barely covered by the black lace she wore. She sensed only a hint of self-consciousness in Megan's eyes.

"Beautiful," Kate whispered before kissing her hard and returning her hands to Megan's skin, gliding them over her back before bringing them to the front of her body.

Megan coaxed Kate to lean forward so she could get to the zipper of her dress. While she slid it down, Kate cupped her breasts, holding them with her hands while lavishing them with soft licks. Megan shivered, quickly peeling the dress around Kate's shoulders. Kate helped slide it over her legs and kicked it to the floor. Megan now looked down at Kate's goddess form in her grey silk lingerie. She closed her eyes and lay back against her body.

"This is crazy," Megan whispered.

"If you're not ready, we can…"

Megan knew they should probably take things more slowly, but her body was begging her to keep going. She feared that if she paused to listen to the noise in her brain, they may never get further than this. She pulled up and smiled down at Kate, who returned her gaze seductively before bringing one of Megan's nipples into her mouth, nibbling on it gently through the lace.

"Fuck," Megan breathed, throwing her head back.

Kate grinned against her chest, continuing to bite and lick before sucking extra hard. Megan gasped, digging her nails sharply into Kate's shoulders. The blonde hissed. Megan unhooked Kate's bra and threw it away before pushing her back against the couch. She squeezed her light pink nipples between her thumb and forefinger, teasing them tighter and harder, before bending down to taste them. Kate thrusted her hips gently against Megan as she sucked and sucked.

"Please…" Kate whispered.

Finally, Megan returned to her face, where she looked at the blonde, who appeared so much more relaxed than she had ever seen her. Her hair was wild and her eyes gleamed hazily. She pushed a few golden locks behind her ear and kissed her softly before whispering there.

"I want to make you feel really good," Megan told her, a total understatement.

Kate could tell she wanted more, but wasn't sure how to proceed. She took Megan's hand and put it on her stomach. Megan gulped and turned redder than she already was, if that were possible.

"It's okay," Kate whispered. "Let's just keep kissing…do what comes naturally…"

She kissed Megan's lips again, trying to convince her. Megan kissed back and slowly began tracing her fingertips over Kate's abdomen. Kate reciprocated, bringing her fingers to the exceptionally soft space below Megan's belly button. She brought her other hand to the back of Megan's head, pulling her harder into their kiss. Megan took a deep breath against Kate's lips, closed her eyes and slid her fingers beneath her underwear, feeling the soft, blonde hair that lie beneath.

"Aaah," Kate breathed sweetly. This caused Megan's hips to jerk forward, forcing Kate's hand lower. She cupped Megan between her legs, over her panties at first, and Megan bucked against her hand, continuing down with her own fingers into Kate's smooth, slippery wetness. Kate made noises that were soft but guttural. Then she pushed Megan's underwear aside and went for it.

"Oh my god," Megan gasped. Kate pulled her back into the kiss as they both continued to explore with their fingers, sliding through folds, searching. Megan found the tiny mound and pressed it gently, remembering what she liked herself, figuring that was a good place to start. Kate's entire body shook.

She soon felt Kate's finger strumming against her own clit, and she shivered hard. They each rubbed faster and faster, encouraged by the other's sounds.

Kate finally broke their kiss, tossing her head back, shaking more violently. Her face contorted into an almost pleading and at the same time shockingly indulgent glare. Megan flicked her fingers a few more times before Kate cried out as she came. She continued to stroke Megan, who between the sensation and seeing Kate so completely undone jerked forward once, twice, before coming just as hard. When she was finished, she pulled her hand away and fell back onto Kate's chest. The blonde wrapped both arms behind Megan's back. They continued to hold each other as their breath evened to a soft synchronicity. Kate began brushing her fingers through Megan's auburn waves again. They were asleep in minutes.


	16. Chapter 16

"_Did you really think you could get away with this?"_

"_Get away with what?"_

"_Oh, you know."_

_Megan suddenly felt very cold. She looked down and found that she was completely naked as she sat at the witness stand. She tried to cover herself with her hands but had nothing else to shield her body from the glares of the spectators. Suddenly, she felt fingertips traveling up her calves, finally resting on her knees. Kate's gaze held hers as she continued to stroke her inner thighs. Megan gasped as she leaned forward. _

She awoke to being gently shaken. Kate groaned, shifted a little, and went back to sleep. The redhead realized she had been squirming on top of her, possibly even mumbling things aloud. She could feel the sweat between them, the thin, salty layer making their stomachs stick together. Megan awkwardly lifted herself up on her elbows, peeling their bodies apart.

She looked around the room, squinting her eyes to shield them from the sun. She realized she was naked except for her bra and underwear, though there was a heavy chenille blanket covering them. _Kate must have pulled it on during the night_, she thought. _That explains the sweat. Well, that and…_

The memories of sex washed over her. After all that waiting, it seemed to have happened so quickly. It also hadn't been as difficult as she had feared. She remembered the sounds Kate made, the sight of her face so completely taken with pleasure. She was sure it was one of the most brilliant things she had ever seen. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to look at Kate at the moment. She was still reeling from the dream, feeling very exposed. She sat up straight, making sure not to steal the entire blanket, but still keeping herself completely covered.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Kate mumbled.

Megan was surprised she was awake. She wasn't sure she should tell her, but she figured if they couldn't be honest with each other from the get go it would not bode well.

"It's ridiculous…" Megan whispered.

"Try me."

Megan swallowed.

"I have this… recurring dream…where…he's watching us…"

"Who?" Kate asked. When Megan didn't answer, it hit her. "Oh."

"See, I shouldn't have told you."

"No, it's okay," Kate assured, though it was clear she wasn't quite sure how to feel about it. "Makes sense."

"I'm sure they'll stop eventually," she hoped.

Megan thought maybe Kate had passed out again when she didn't get a response, but then the blonde finally spoke.

"Did you think about him last night…when…?"

"No," Megan was quick to correct. It was true.

"Well. That's something."

Megan nodded, and they continued to sit in silence.

"Do you think this was too soon?" Kate followed up.

Megan felt like she was inside her brain.

"I'm pretty sure there aren't any rules here."

"I just want you to be okay."

"I'm fine," Megan stressed, then softened. "Better than fine."

Kate smirked at her. Megan felt tingles in places she had never felt before, preventing her guard from going back up.

Kate sat up, letting the blanket slip to her lap, revealing her divine breasts. This time, Megan didn't even pretend not to stare.

"You're exquisite" she whispered, still admiring her from across the couch.

Kate grinned before stretching and letting out a yawn. "I'm feeling pretty sticky at the moment."

"Me too. Mind if I shower?"

"Not at all."

She got up, leaving the blanket behind, motioning for Megan to follow her. Megan watched as she crossed to a door at the far side of the room, her grey, silk bikini-cut briefs the only thing covering anything. Megan scooped up the chenille throw, wrapped it around herself, and followed the blonde into the bedroom.

"You're certainly not shy," she called after her.

Kate didn't answer. Instead, she rummaged through her drawers, pulling out some sweats Megan assumed she was going to let her borrow. She watched as Kate bent over, stretching her back, revealing the muscles and nearly flawless skin, smooth and lightly tanned. Her ass cheeks generously dipped out from her panties, curving at the perfect angle.

Megan couldn't take it. She dropped the blanket, threw the sweats from Kate's hands and grabbed her by the hips, kissing her hard. Kate stumbled a bit, surprised, but Megan caught her perfectly, helping her find her balance and gently lowering her onto the bed. Kate made encouraging noises into Megan's mouth.

"Mmm," Kate finally freed her lips from Megan's and took a much needed breath. "You're not shy either."

"You inspire me," Megan whispered.

Kate laughed. Her eyes gleamed as she flipped them, topping Megan, pinning her arms down to the bed. She returned her lips to Megan's mouth, followed by her neck, where she began licking down to her collarbone. Megan finally allowed her to take off her bra, and Kate took turns sucking each nipple into her mouth, making Megan squirm beneath her. Then she hooked her thumbs under the straps of her lace underwear, and Megan stopped moving.

"You okay?" Kate asked.

"Yeah…"

"You sure?"

"Uh huh…" She looked up into Kate's blue eyes. She reached up and touched her cheek, trailing her finger down to her chin, fingering the cleft there before kissing her softly. Hesitantly, she brought her own hands to Kate's panties. The blonde smiled down at her, and the two seemed to sigh together and they slowly pulled off their remaining lingerie.

Kate eagerly brought her fingers back to Megan's soaking wet sex, sliding between beautiful pink lips surrounded by the softest auburn hair. She looked down at the woman, who six years ago barely gave any hint of who she really was or what she felt. Now, she was privy to the most intimate parts of her. She felt honored, nervous, and more turned on than she had ever been.

Megan felt around Kate's silky, smooth labia, relishing each time the blonde's breath caught in her throat as she found a new spot, vowing to explore each one in its full depth. But for now, she was searching for the space that would make her feel closest to the woman she still couldn't believe she had come to crave. Finally, she found Kate's entrance, and slipped one finger, then two inside her.

"Yes," Kate sighed sweetly, rising and falling on Megan's fingers as she quickly reciprocated the act, easily slipping inside Dr. Hunt. Kate rode up and down while gently driving her hand in and out of Megan's core. Megan grinded against her fingers. She rose up on her elbows again, much less awkwardly this time, and brought herself to a sitting position. The two wrapped their legs around each other and continued to thrust, breathing against the other's cheek. Sweat dripped from Megan's forehead and hit Kate on the lip. She licked the salty droplet, and then licked Megan's cheek to taste more. Megan brought her teeth to Kate's earlobe and bit down, fucking her harder, feeling the blonde dig into her shoulder with the nails on her free hand. Soon they were both shaking so hard they were gripping each other as tightly as they could just to keep from falling off the bed. Finally they each slowed their movements, their breath evened out, and Kate pushed Megan back down on the bed before rolling off to one side, keeping their legs intertwined.

"Holy shit…"

"Yes," Megan gasped.

"That…"

"Was genius."

Megan turned on her side and faced the other woman. Kate continued to pant with her eyes closed for a few moments before looking back at her.

"I think I'm really gay," Megan deadpanned.

Kate burst into laughter, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Yeah?"

"I just never even realized how hot this could be."

Kate shook her head, clearly agreeing with the sentiment. She reached over and gently stroked Megan's cheek, taking comfort in the soft blush that crept across the woman's face.

"I think I could get used to this," Kate whispered.

"Me too."

The two lie together on the bed for what seemed like hours, but only a short time passed before they remembered their initial goal: shower. Kate got up and went into the bathroom. As she started running the water, she wondered if Megan would follow her. Even though they'd just had mind-blowing sex, for some reason, bathing together felt like a new level of intimacy she wasn't sure Megan was ready for. She looked over her shoulder and watched the redhead stretch out on the bed, looking incredibly content, before sitting up. Finally, she caught her gaze.

"You joining me?" Kate asked.

Megan thought for a moment and then smirked as she stood. Kate happily entered the shower with her in tow.


	17. Chapter 17

The rest of the day consisted of eating leftovers and finding new ways to torture one another.

"Do you always eat like that, or is it solely for my benefit?" Megan asked as Kate brought a large spoonful of strawberry sorbet into her mouth, closed her lips around the spoon and shut her eyes in delight.

"What?"

"You're such as tease," Megan huffed.

"I don't see how I can be called a tease when I've given you everything you wanted."

Megan gulped. She reached out and took the container from Kate's hands, stealing a scoop for herself before putting it down on the coffee table.

"You haven't given me everything," Megan whispered, stroking Kate's ankles with her toes.

"No?"

"No."

"Greedy," Kate accused as she climbed on top of her, licking a strawberry seed from the corner of her mouth before tracing Megan's lips with her tongue.

The phone started ringing.

"Jesus Christ," Megan sighed. Kate let her up to retrieve the device from her bag. It was Lacey. Megan looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath before answering.

"Hi Lace."

"Hey mom. How are you?"

"Great." She tried to control the tone of her voice. There were so many things she needed to not give away. The awkwardness of the pauses lingered longer than usual. She hated this.

"Well… I was just calling to say hi," Lacey said.

"What day are you coming home for Thanksgiving?" Megan figured she had a right to ask considering it was less than two weeks away.

"I'm not sure yet. It depends."

"On?"

"I might catch a ride with someone instead of flying. I don't know."

"Oh," Megan wondered if this would be a good opportunity to ask more questions, or if she should play it cool. "Well…okay…"

"I'll let you know. I have to go now. I'll call you next week. Love you."

"Love you too," Megan hung up, feeling like she had failed Lacey and herself. She walked back over to the couch, completely dejected.

"That was short," Kate couldn't help but state the obvious.

"She doesn't have much to say these days," Megan spoke quietly. "To me at least."

Kate resisted rolling her eyes. She knew this situation was extremely delicate.

"I'll tell her she has to come clean with you or I will."

"No," Megan assured. "Like you said, then she'll just stop talking altogether."

"Maybe you'll have a better chance during the holidays."

Megan nodded. She lay back against the arm of the couch and rubbed her temples. How she could go from feeling so completely blissful to miserable in a matter of minutes never failed to amaze her, but that was parenthood. She felt Kate's fingertips on her hand, gently rubbing the skin there, playing with her knuckles, and couldn't help but smile.

"What do you usually do for Thanksgiving?" Megan asked.

Kate sighed. "I haven't gone home for the past two years. I usually get an invite to the City Hall dinner a few days before. But the actual holiday… leftovers?" She shrugged. "What about you?"

"Lacey and I are required to attend dinner at my mother's, which you can imagine is exactly where I'd like to be."

Kate smirked.

"I'd hate to subject you," Megan added. "But you're more than welcome to join us."

Kate seemed to toss the idea around in her head. "I wouldn't want to intrude."

Megan glared at her.

"I kind of walked into that one, didn't I?"

"Better get used to it," Megan smiled. "You're obviously meant to be part of the family."

Megan expected her to come back with some witty retort, but instead the blonde looked deeply touched. She didn't know how she would explain any of this to Lacey or her mother, but she'd worry about that later. Until this very moment, the word "family" had held more painful memories and disappointment than joy for both of them. She was not about to let it slip away so easily.


	18. Chapter 18

Megan went home Saturday evening so she could wake up early Sunday, do some much needed housekeeping. There had been a few saucy texts back and forth since she left Kate's apartment, but she was dying to see her again. She looked forward to Monday morning, only a little anxious about how well they could keep the change in dynamic under wraps from the rest of their team.

Fortunately for them (though not for the victims), the case load began to pour in almost immediately. Megan was assigned to a man who'd been found dead in his own backyard, apparently falling off the ladder as he was putting up Christmas lights, though the ladder hadn't been very tall and the man was not old or suffering from previous heart issues. She and Ethan finished sectioning the vital organs only to come up empty handed.

"Who puts up lights _before _Thanksgiving?"

"Uh, that's customary now, Dr. Hunt. You're behind the times," Ethan laughed. He dropped the goofy smirk after seeing Megan's expression. Afraid he'd inadvertently made fun of her age, he tried to fix things.

"I mean…you're not…obviously…"

"You know what? Why don't you take the lead on this one?" Megan offered, changing the subject. While she was mildly fascinated by this man and his holiday anal retentiveness, she sensed there would be bigger, more complicated cases on the horizon. There always were around the holidays.

"Me? But, Dr. Murphy assigned this to…"

"I know she assigned it to me, but trust me, there will be another. And I won't back off entirely, I just want to give you the chance to step up to the plate, prove you can handle tougher cases."

"You think I can?"

"Do _you_ think you can?"

He smiled.

"I'll do it. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." She meant that literally and figuratively, though she knew Kate would find out sooner or later. She seriously doubted she'd mind.

About an hour later though, after Ethan ordered a test from Kate and she got word of the change, she stepped into the lab. Megan heard her heels clicking as she entered and tried not to look as eager as she felt when she turned around. The hair on the back of Megan's neck rose at the tough expression Kate wore. She didn't know whether to be nervous or turned on, so she fell somewhere in between. She pulled herself together as the blonde leaned against an empty exam table.

"Scrubbing in?" Megan asked cheekily.

Kate glared at her. "Apparently I should. You appear to be the one handing out assignments today."

Megan sighed.

"I assume you're referring to Ethan."

"I would have preferred you check with me first."

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Really, Megan?"

"Really."

Kate licked her lips. Megan crossed her legs a little more tightly.

"If this weren't out of character, I'd have to seriously question whether or not you're taking advantage of our…situation."

Megan pursed her lips and appeared to search the air with her eyes, trying to look innocent. "What situation?"

"You're infuriating."

Megan smirked. "Do you really mind? You said yourself he has greater potential. I'm just giving him the opportunity to show it."

"I want to be informed when decisions are being made under my watch. Understood?"

Megan sat up a little straighter at the curtness in Kate's voice.

"Perfectly."

Kate lingered for a few moments. She wasn't sure what to do. This was going to be much harder than either of them had anticipated. Megan trailed her eyes down to the buttons on her lavender silk blouse and imagined how easy it would be to pop them open.

"Stop," Kate whispered.

"What?" Megan shook it off.

"You can't look at me like that in here."

"I've been looking at you like that in here for years."

"Well try not to make it so obvious."

"Can't help it. Not my fault."

Kate stepped closer to her. Megan was glad to see she was also struggling.

"How are we going to manage this?"

"Break room…storage closet…" Megan mused.

Kate laughed. "Right, because either of us can slip away so easily."

"I don't think I can wait another six hours," Megan whispered. She glanced around to make sure no one else was looking before leaning forward just slightly, enough to inhale Kate's scent. She could smell her, the aroma begging her to finally try tasting its origin. Kate shifted.

"Can you at least wait till the rest of the staff heads out?" Kate asked, her breath growing more labored. "I have to stay late to work on the budget, but I'm sure I'll need…coffee…"

"Right, coffee," Megan looked a little too pleased with herself.

"See you then." Kate quickly left the lab, leaving Megan to work as best as she could.


	19. Chapter 19

Megan didn't see Kate again for the rest of the afternoon. She went with Ethan to investigate the Christmas lights case, looking for more clues, interviewing family members. By the time she returned to the office, she was afraid Kate would have gone home, but she was happy to see her car still in the garage. All the lights were out except for the one in Kate's office, but she wasn't in there. Megan tried not to panic, knowing she had to be somewhere, but feeling the slightest bit anxious as she crept towards the break room.

Kate sat in the chair in the corner, fast sleep. Megan looked down at her, curled up with her heels kicked off beneath her seat. Watching her sleep was becoming one of her favorite pastimes. She didn't want to wake her but knew she had to. She knelt down, carefully removed the coffee mug from her lap and gently shook her arm.

"Kate."

The blonde woke startled.

"What…"

"You fell asleep."

"Oh…I…"

"Sorry it took so long. You're right about Ethan's instincts. He's great in the lab, not so much out in the field."

Kate stretched her legs and yawned, trying to fix her hair and look at her watch at the same time. It was nearing midnight.

"Did you get anything after all this time?"

"The wife's completely distraught, son doesn't seem to care. Something's up, just not sure what yet. Did you finish your work?"

"Barely."

"What happened?"

"Nothing, I just…had a hard time focusing," She blushed.

"I see," Megan teased. "Miss Stop-Looking-At-Me-And-Get-Back-To-Work was distracted…."

Kate gave her a death glare. It did not faze Dr. Hunt for a second.

"If you're too tired, we can just…"

"Shut up," Kate demanded as she grabbed her and shoved her tongue in her mouth as quickly and smoothly as she could. Megan dropped her bag on the floor and repositioned herself, sitting on Kate's lap, trying her best not to crush her. Kate didn't seem to care as she undid a few buttons on Megan's blouse and stuck her hand inside, grabbing one of her breasts, kissing her everywhere.

"I missed you," she whispered.

Megan grinned from ear to ear as she stood. Kate looked up at her, confused for a moment, until she watched her gracefully drop to her knees in front of the chair. She swallowed hard.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Megan devilishly grinned, placing her hands on Kate's knees. She chased away a fleeting thought about her dreams. _That_ was not real. _This_ was the most real thing that had ever happened.

"You wanna try this _here_ for the first time?" Kate asked.

"If I don't do it now, I may chicken out again."

Kate giggled. "Why are you so nervous? Afraid you won't like it?"

Megan's eyes went wide. "I don't think that's possible. I just…wasn't ready. But I can't wait anymore. If that's okay with you?"

Kate leaned forward and kissed her again very, very softly before leaning back in the chair and hiking up her skirt. Megan practically came on the spot. She traced her nails up past Kate's knees, along her inner thighs, continuing up to…

"You're sure everyone's gone?"

"Yes," Megan sighed, very patiently. "Relax."

Kate smiled and leaned back again, closing her eyes this time. Megan reached up and pulled at the lavender lace panties that matched her shirt. She slowly slid them down Kate's legs, trying to savor every moment. Though everything else they had done so far had of course been special, there was something about this act that made her feel very different. Her sexuality had never been something she questioned until she met Kate. Throughout her life there had been women whom she'd found attractive, but she always chalked it up to admiring them or wanting to be them, not wanting them. Her mother had expected her to end up with a man, and she just adopted that expectation without ever allowing herself to think there may have been another way to be happy. After Todd, she tried to date a few men, but hadn't once felt as good as she did with Kate. A simple kiss from her was so much more fulfilling than any of the sex she'd had before. So this—going down on another woman— felt like a big step, something that would somehow solidify the change in her sexuality, from unquestioningly heterosexual to…whatever she was now. Whether she was bisexual or a lesbian or somewhere in between, she wasn't sure and she didn't care, she just knew that this was right.

She dropped the underwear on the floor next to them and looked at Kate's patch of blonde curls. _Beautiful_, she thought. She'd never even considered a vagina beautiful before. She hadn't really given them much thought other than her own, though she'd seen plenty, and none of them ever had this affect on her. She beckoned Kate to slide forward and lean back a little further so she could spread her legs more widely.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked.

"Good enough," Kate whispered shakily. Her response made Megan think for a moment that they should wait, but Kate grabbed her chin and gave her a look that was almost as insistent as when she was demanding a report.

Megan looked back to the space between Kate's legs. She stared at the glistening, slippery strip, admiring the folds, the nooks. She had explored them rather thoroughly with her fingers. She brought one digit to the pink skin again. Kate gasped as she slowly dragged it from top to bottom, gathering as much moisture as she could, before bringing the finger to her mouth, closing her eyes and tasting her. Kate let out a soft moan at the sight, and Megan let the liquid sink into her tongue as if she were tasting wine. She licked her lips before opening her eyes and looking back at Kate's face. Kate looked like she was about ready to explode, and Megan didn't want her to just yet, so she quickly brought her lips to her vulva and began to lick.

She licked her along the same path she traced with her finger tip. Kate grabbed onto the armrests, needing more support. Megan was encouraged by the sounds she made, high-pitched, ravenous. She brought the tip of her tongue to her clit and circled there before kissing the small mound and sucking it in.

"OhmygodMegan..." Kate was completely losing control, and Megan was loving every minute of it.

Again, she tried to recall what had worked for her (though not well, she had to admit) in the past. She flicked her tongue as fast as she could, finding a rhythm that seemed to suit Kate. She licked and licked and looked up at her face while she did it. Kate's eyes were closed and she tossed her head from side to side, murmuring things that were not really words. Megan continued to lick until she felt her tense up then release. She gave a few more licks, just to be sure she was finished, and then pulled back slowly. She gently pushed Kate back into the chair so she wouldn't fall, brought her arms up onto her lap and rested her head there for a moment as they both caught their breath. She felt Kate's fingers brush through her hair.

"Was that okay?" Megan couldn't help but ask.

Kate threw her head back again and laughed. Megan knew it wasn't mocking, but joyful. She had been lucky enough to experience it a few times by now.

"I think you were born for this."

"Really?" Megan looked very pleased with herself as she stood. Kate pulled her back down onto her lap.

"Really," she whispered before kissing her, tasting herself on Megan's mouth.

"Mmm," Megan moaned against her lips. "You taste like…I can't even describe it…just…"

"Pussy?"

That word made Megan's nose crinkle up. She had never cared for it, but for some reason when Kate said it, it was kind of cute.

"I guess. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I like it."

Kate smirked. "I'm honored I was your first."

Megan smiled back. Then she looked a little concerned, needing clarification. "I was yours, wasn't I?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

"My first woman? Yes, of course."

Megan rested her head on Kate's shoulder. "So then…you've never done it either."

"Not yet." She paused. "Do you want…"

"We can wait," Megan suggested. "It'll give us something to look forward to."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know you're exhausted," she assured her, running her fingers through silky blonde locks.

Kate was appreciative, and very sleepy indeed. They adjusted their clothing, checked for evidence of their escapades, and gave each other a long kiss in front of the elevator before heading down to their cars and saying goodnight.


	20. Chapter 20

"You're awfully cheerful this morning," Peter noted as he watched Megan suction the blood out of her latest cadaver's femoral artery.

Megan tried not to let her cheeks go too terribly red as she remembered what transpired the night before, just a few rooms away from where they stood now.

"Would you rather me be miserable?"

Peter shook his head. "Seems to me you're keeping secrets."

"There's a difference between being friends and having to divulge every detail of your life with someone."

"I just like knowing what's up with you, Megan. If you don't want to talk, fine. You're happy, I'm happy."

"Good. Let's leave it at that."

Kate walked by the lab. Megan resisted looking up at her, fearing she would completely give herself away.

Thankfully, Ethan rushed in moments later.

"I've got it!"

Megan looked at him skeptically.

"No really, I've figured it out. The bruising on the left side of his torso wasn't from the fall. It was from being knocked off the ladder. And this indentation…" he pointed to the small, peanut shaped gash on the photo of their victim's body. "That's from an earring. The son's skull-shaped plug."

"So dad beats mom, then apologizes, says he's not leaving, goes outside to prove it by hanging up the Christmas lights, and the son knocks him to the ground. But he hits his head on the sprinkler and loses consciousness," Megan helped put the pieces together.

"Told you I got it!" Ethan smiled confidently.

"Call Bud and tell him to meet us there is twenty minutes."

As disturbing as the whole thing was, Megan was very proud of Ethan. She couldn't wait to tell Kate.

* * *

><p>Kate was equally pleased to hear about Ethan's stellar performance. Megan didn't gloat too much about her brilliant idea to give him the case, but Kate could tell by the look on her face that she was thinking it. After making their arrests and heading back to the office to finalize reports, Megan headed into the ladies room. Just as she was washing her hands, Kate entered. She froze.<p>

"Following me?" Megan joked.

Kate shook her head. "That wouldn't be wise considering everyone's still here, now would it?"

Megan smirked as she dried her hands. Resigned, she smiled at Kate before brushing past her as she reached for the door.

Kate pushed her back firmly against the wall and crushed her lips into her own. Megan's back made an echo as it hit the marble, but the two ignored it, scrambling to taste all they could, feeling every bit of visible skin in the few seconds they would allow themselves. Megan grabbed her breasts as Kate's hand found its way up her skirt, cupping her firmly. Megan threatened to moan, but Kate put her hand over her mouth before she could. She bit Kate's fingers, and the blonde quickly pulled away. Megan gave her one final, victorious smirk before pulling her skirt down and returning to work.


	21. Chapter 21

Friday evening, Kate and Megan had a hard time keeping their clothes on as they climbed the stairs to Megan's apartment. Kate nibbled her ear, making it almost impossible for her to get the key in the door. The two made lots of noise as they threw their bags to the floor and Megan pushed Kate onto the dining room table. Her hands immediately went to the hem of her skirt, but Kate slapped her away.

"Uh uh, it's my turn," she argued as she slipped off the table and brought her hands to the zipper on Megan's trousers, all the while kissing her neck.

"Mom!"

They both stopped what they were doing and pulled away from each other instantly. Megan's heart began pounding in her head. She slowly turned towards the corner of the room where the voice had come from and opened her eyes. Her daughter stared back at her.

"Lacey…what are you doing…"

"What am I doing? What are you doing?"

"I didn't know you were coming this early…I…don't classes go till…"

"Mom!" Lacey screamed again, impatiently. "What the hell is going on?" She turned her gaze towards Kate, who shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling like the worst person on earth.

"Lacey, this is…I don't know what to…" Megan continued to stammer.

"Are you sleeping together? I can't believe this. I can't believe you'd hide something like this from me." Suddenly, the young girl seemed to be much more vocal. It annoyed the hell out of Megan.

"How is it any of your business!" she couldn't help shouting. "I'm your parent. I don't have to tell you everything that goes on in _my_ personal life. You, on the other hand…"

"I'm eighteen, remember? I don't have to tell you everything either."

"I think I should let you two…" Kate interrupted, softly.

"No!" Megan yelled at her. "You can't walk away from things when they get hard. You're either in or you're not."

Kate hesitated only for a moment before silently planting herself on the couch.

"God, have you been telling her everything?" Lacey focused on Kate again. "Who am I supposed to trust!"

"I didn't tell her anything she didn't already know," Kate assured.

"How would she know?" Lacey questioned.

"Well for starters, she's your mother. And…you sort of called when we were…together."

Lacey threw her hands up. "Un-fucking-believable!"

"Hey!" Megan scolded. "You want to talk about trust? When was the last time I gave you a reason not to trust me? We've worked so hard at building our relationship, and then you go to Kate instead of me with all of the important things going on in your life? Relationships? Birth control! How do you think that makes me feel?"

Lacey shook her head. Her eyes welled up. "Birth control?" she asked skeptically. "I never asked her about birth control."

Megan shot Kate a look.

"I never confirmed what it was…you just…"

"Assumed? You told her to get something before she…" Megan was beyond flustered. "What else could it have been?"

"Gaurdasil, mom!" Lacey lashed out. "Okay? You want me to be honest? I wanted Kate's opinion on whether or not it was worth getting before I slept with someone _someday_! That's not asking about birth control."

"Okay, Lace, you're splitting hairs here," Megan tried to lower her voice to a reasonable octave. "If you wanted to know about that, why didn't you just ask me? I'm the one who pays for your health insurance, _and_ I'm a doctor too, you know."

"Because I didn't want you to freak out! Look at you. You're always stressed out about something. I didn't want to bother you and I didn't want to make you sick worrying about me," she started to cry as she sat down on the couch opposite from Kate.

Megan was starting to understand what this was about. Her father died unexpectedly. She didn't want to do anything to make her mother have any stress-related health problems. Still, Megan couldn't let this go.

"Okay…I appreciate you trying to protect me. But I'm your mother, and I want you to talk to me about whatever you need." She looked at Kate apologetically. Kate did not appear to be too upset, but was obviously shaken and trying to hold her tongue, which Megan appreciated at the moment.

Megan sat down next to Lacey. She wanted to rub her back, comfort her in some way, but couldn't yet. She still needed some answers.

"So you're not dating anyone then? Because it sounded like you were."

Exasperated, Lacey held her head in her hands for a minute without responding. Finally, she looked at her mother.

"I was," she said with such a small voice, Megan didn't even need her to fill in the rest.

"I see," she said as comfortingly as she could. "Wanna tell us what happened?"

Lacey looked up at Kate—who tried not to shrink away with embarrassment and guilt— then looked back at her mom.

"We were planning on riding up together. He lives in Pittsburgh." She looked at Kate again, realizing the blonde really hadn't told her mother everything. "But then he said he'd gotten in touch with his ex. He wanted to see her when he went home, so…he broke up with me."

Now Megan couldn't help but put her arm around her daughter, feeling her pain. She rubbed circles on the girl's back as she sobbed into her knees. Megan was reminded of the night Todd died, how distraught Lacey was, and she almost lost it herself. She looked over at Kate, who she could tell wanted to join them, but knew it was more important for Lacey and Megan to connect in this moment. Still, she sent comforting glances from across the room. Megan smiled at her through tears.

"I feel like such a slut," Lacey mumbled. The word hit Megan in her gut, threatening to steal what breath she had left in her. Now she looked over at Kate pleadingly, needing assistance.

"Lacey, no," Kate soothed.

Lacey rolled her eyes. "I was so stupid."

Megan wanted details, but was beginning to realize she was not going to get them, and she had to be okay with that. Lacey was an adult. If she wanted her trust, she needed to respect that.

"Not everyone's first time is magical," Kate tried again. "Trust me, mine wasn't. For most people, it's just…something that happens. But if you cared about this guy, that's all that really matters. And even if you didn't, whether it was a mistake or not, it's okay. You made that decision and you should stand by it, knowing this time you learned something about what you don't want so next time you can be a little more certain about what you do want."

"Kate's right, honey," Megan chimed in.

"You're not mad?" Lacey asked, looking up at her mother sheepishly.

"No…Lace, I just want you to be happy and healthy. I'm proud of you for taking the initiative and asking Kate about things. I just can't help but wish it had been me." She paused. "But…if you don't feel comfortable talking to me, for whatever reasons…you can still talk to Kate, and I promise I won't ask her to fill me in."

"I don't know…" Lacey shook her head. "I mean…what's going on with you two? How...aren't you both straight?"

Megan took a deep breath.

"I don't really know how to explain it…it just…"

"How long has it been going on?" Lacey wanted to know. Megan felt like these were reasonable questions.

"Just a few weeks," Kate offered. "But we can't really pinpoint when our feelings started."

"Did something happen when you took me to school?" Lacey asked, almost excitedly now. "Jamie…"

"Jamie…" Megan winced, "…was not completely off base, I guess, no."

Kate raised an eyebrow at Megan, and then seemed to put it together. She tried hard to stifle a laugh.

"Why didn't you tell me? Either of you?" Lacey looked back and forth between them.

"We've been trying to figure things out before we told anyone," Megan explained. "You're the first."

Lacey leaned back on the couch and put a hand to her forehead.

"This is a lot to take in at once," she sighed.

"You're telling me!" Megan finally laughed, nervously. "Lace…are you…okay?"

"You mean with you guys?"

Megan nodded.

"I…I guess. It's a little weird. Not because you're two women, just because…you're…you."

"I think there will be time to answer all your questions, should you have them," Kate swallowed. "But the bottom line is… I can't help how I feel about your mom. I'm just lucky she feels the same way."

Megan blushed a little. She was starting to realize just how deep those feelings went.

"Well… if you're happy… and healthy…" Lacey took a deep breath and looked back at her mother as she smiled. "I guess that's all I can ask for isn't it?"

"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" Megan wrapped her arms around her tightly. Lacey hugged back.

Kate couldn't stay away anymore. She made her way over to the other two, who laughed as they let her into their hug.

Megan was not pleased to hear Lacey had tapped into her money for school and hopped on a plane, skipping her classes for the rest of the week, but she couldn't help but be thrilled she was home.


	22. Chapter 22

That evening, Kate tried to insist she should leave to let Megan and her daughter keep mending their relationship, but neither of them would hear it. The three ordered Chinese take-out and Lacey filled them in on how her semester had been, including more details about the guy who'd broken her heart. Megan could have killed him, but she tried to keep an even keel as she listened to Lacey's story.

After dinner, Kate stepped into the bedroom to take a call from the mayor's office, and Lacey and Megan made their way back into the living room.

"So…" Lacey began hesitantly. "I have to ask something…"

Megan tried not to panic as her mind ran through a list of exceedingly uncomfortable questions Lacey could ask. She knew she was not prepared.

"Shoot," she said, feigning confidence.

"What about…dad?"

Megan sighed a little, relieved. This was certainly not a comfortable subject, but it had come up enough already for her to have some basis from which to start.

"I think the best way to explain it is…that was then, this is now."

"So you didn't have feelings for each other when he was alive? Or when they were together?"

Megan was beginning to think Lacey should reconsider art, take up criminal investigation instead.

"Uh…you know, it's complicated. I think the older we get, the harder it is to be honest with ourselves. As bad as you feel about everything that happened with Chris, I've got to admit there's something to be said for just…going for it."

Lacey looked surprised, and still very confused.

"That's not to say I think you should rush into things with every person you're attracted to," Megan quickly corrected. "I'm just saying…everything that happened, between your dad and I, and between him and Kate was real, on some level. But if we all weren't so wrapped up in what we thought we were supposed to feel, how we're supposed to behave…things may have been different, or…who knows. Like I said, it's…"

"Complicated," Lacey cut in. "I get it."

Megan wasn't sure if she totally got it herself, but she was glad to see her daughter wasn't quite as neurotic as she was.

"Thanks for being so mature," Megan smiled at her. "I really am proud of you."

Lacey smiled back.

"I can ask Kate to go home tonight if you need some time to get used to things," Megan suggested.

"Now would that be the mature thing to do?" Lacey smirked.

Megan blushed again as she laughed. Her child really was something else.

* * *

><p>By the time Kate was finished with her call, Lacey had gone to her room for the night.<p>

"She sleeping?" Kate mused.

"She went to bed," Megan confirmed, almost whispering. "Though I'm not sure she's actually asleep yet.

Kate nodded. "I should probably go too."

"She doesn't want you to," Megan shook her head, lowering her voice a little more. "Neither do I."

She stood and faced Kate, who looked beyond relieved. Megan took both of her hands, lacing their fingers, brushing their noses together, before leading Kate back to the bedroom. Kate sat on the bed as Megan very quietly shut the door. She approached the blonde, sauntering up to where she sat, bringing herself to stand between her legs. Kate wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, and Megan ran her fingers through her hair while bending down to kiss the top of the head. Kate pulled back and looked up at her, hands still tightly holding onto her hips. She nuzzled her face against her stomach, biting at the fabric of her leopard print sweater, lifting it with her teeth, before lashing her tongue out over her skin. Megan shivered.

"I…don't know…"

"Think you can be quiet?" Kate half asked, half pleaded.

Megan sighed, pulling Kate's head back towards her body, giving her answer. She allowed Kate to lift the sweater up over her head and then slowly, so slowly, undo the buttons and the zipper of her pants before sliding them down to the floor. Kate lowered her nose to the front of Megan's panties, where she inhaled deeply, her shoulders shaking as the scent filled her nostrils. Megan continued to react, almost silently. She was thankful her room was on the opposite side of the apartment from Lacey's.

Kate brought her teeth to the top of the underwear and used her hands to assist them down, dropping them to her ankles. Megan kicked them off and held on to Kate's head for dear life as she softly stroked her tongue through fine hair, along lips that were practically dripping. Remembering how her knees tended to buckle, Kate brought Megan down to the bed and situated herself between her legs. As she licked and sucked Megan's labia in her mouth, the redhead pulled at the sheets on either side of her, finally grabbing a pillow and biting down on it to stifle her need to scream. Kate ran her fingertips over her thighs as she continued to lick, faster and faster, and Megan finally brought her hands back to the blonde waves and pulled. This only caused Kate to lick faster, and soon Megan was shaking so hard she was practically bouncing off the bed. She threw her hands back down to the sheets and gripped them once more as she came. She only squeaked a little as she felt the strange sensation of warm liquid releasing from her, soaking Kate's mouth and chin. The blonde appeared to be equally surprised as she pulled back in awe.

"What…" Megan whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Um…" Kate softly giggled. "Guess I don't need to ask if you enjoyed yourself."

Megan scooted up further in the bed, taking in the damage. There was a large puddle on the sheets and around the collar of Kate's shirt.

"Oh my god, I'm…"

"Don't you dare apologize," Kate whispered, sliding in next to her, kissing her on the cheek. "That was incredible."

"It's never happened before. I didn't even think it was really possible."

"It's entirely possible, just not for everyone. Apparently, you're one of the lucky ones."

Megan covered her eyes with her forearm and laid back against the pillows. Kate took off her own shirt before wrapping herself around Megan, needing to feel skin against skin.

"So you've _never_ done it before, huh?" she smirked, braggingly.

Megan hit her in the shoulder. The two laughed quietly until they passed out in each other's arms.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Megan woke feeling deliciously sore. She stretched her legs and felt the muscles tense before rolling over and throwing her arms around the woman responsible for this pleasant aching. She traced her nails over the blonde's back, starting at the nape of her neck and slowly making her way over every vertebra, down to the dimples above her ample cheeks. Kate shivered and rocked her hips backwards, rolling them against Megan's pelvis. Megan followed the trail she had traveled with her fingers with her lips, brushing them over shoulder blades while rocking against Kate's ass, gently grinding into her. She walked her fingers over her hip, bringing them down to exceptionally warm space between her legs. Kate created enough room between her thighs for Megan to slip between them, and then enter her with two fingers, just barely dipping inside as they continued to spoon, rocking back and forth.

Kate reached back and cupped Megan's cheek with her hand, running her fingertips over her lips. Megan caught her index finger in her mouth and bit down gently before sucking it in, twirling her tongue around its length. Kate's breath sped up, though she mimed her other reactions, impressively refraining from making noise as Megan so generously fucked her.

She squeezed Megan's shoulder, and the redhead felt her clench around her fingers as she came. They continued to roll into one another for a few more moments, the after effects of Kate's orgasm reverberating through both of them.

Kate turned over and brought her lips to Megan's, where she kissed her more assuredly and openly than ever before. Megan returned the kiss, not worrying about morning breath or smeared makeup or anything in the world but the feeling of this woman in her arms. As she opened her eyes and gazed into Kate's, the words she wanted to say and hear seemed to flit back and forth between them, but she still couldn't bring herself to do it. _Way too soon_, she thought, though she couldn't imagine when the right time would be. She held Kate's face in her hands instead, trying to communicate without speaking, something they seemed to be able to do very well.

"Morning," Kate finally whispered.

"It may be afternoon by now," Megan mused as she took in the degree of sunlight streaming in her window.

"Doubt it," Kate argued groggily. "My body can't sleep past ten."

"Well, if you'd like to get up and check, be my guest," Megan teased.

Kate rolled her eyes and kissed her again.

"I'd like to stay in bed for the rest of the weekend," she assured her. "But I'm sure there's a very hungry college student stirring out there somewhere. I should make us breakfast."

Megan kept her to herself for a few more minutes before letting her up. She watched her pull on sweats and a t-shirt, just as gorgeous as when she wore Chanel or any other designer duds. Thirty minutes later the three of them were eating eggs at the dining room table.

"So what are your plans for the week, Lacey?" Kate asked.

"I figured I'd spend some time with my grandmother while you guys are at work, visit some friends."

"That'll keep you busy," Megan chimed in.

"Yeah. We're going to grandma's for Thanksgiving like always, right?"

"You got it," Megan assured. "And Kate will be joining us."

Lacey perked up at the news. "Really? Wow, grandma's gonna flip when she…"

"We're _not _going to tell her on Thanksgiving," Megan cut her off.

"Good idea," Kate agreed from the kitchen.

"Okay…well," Lacey seemed to ponder the circumstances. "She's gonna think it's really weird. Kate being there I mean."

"Not as weird as she'll think it is that we're dating," Megan surmised. "I think we need to sit her down and explain things when there won't be so many 'distinguished guests' in her presence."

Megan briefly considered how much fun it would be to make her mother freak out in front of all of her campaign backers and snooty cousins, but decided against it, mostly for Kate and Lacey's sake. Besides, holidays were never a good time to come out of the closet. That much she had learned from the movies.

"Right. So, we should just act like…you guys are friends now?" Lacey asked, unsure.

"We are friends," Kate smirked as she sat next to Megan. "We just have a lot of sleepovers."

Lacey laughed and shook her head. The three continued to giggle and enjoy their Saturday, resigned to the fact that Thanksgiving would only be slightly more awkward than it usually was in the Hunt household.

* * *

><p>The rest of the week flew by. Work was stressful as usual, but it made the hours go by faster until the evenings, when Megan could go home to Lacey and spend time laughing and watching movies like they had when she first moved in with her. Kate had meetings and other holiday gatherings to attend, including City Hall, so she wasn't able to join them, but neither of them minded too much. They knew they'd have the long weekend together, and Megan cherished the time she had alone with Lacey, thankful she hadn't lost her daughter again.<p>

Wednesday night, Megan lay in bed watching something mindless on television, trying to fall asleep, when her phone rang. It was the office. Pretty sure it was Kate, but not wanting to take any chances, she answered as professionally as possible.

"Megan Hunt."

"God, that's sexy," Kate whispered.

Megan blushed. She shut off the TV and pulled the covers over her head.

"Why are you calling from this number?"

"Just so I could hear you answer the phone like that."

Megan hoped Kate could feel her smiling through the phone.

"Don't you have work to be doing?"

"I do," Kate sighed. "But I wanted to ask what I should wear to your mother's tomorrow. I'm assuming it's not casual."

"You assume correctly," Megan confirmed. "But what I want you to wear is far from what would be considered appropriate."

"I see. Well, what if I wear something underneath that suits you? Or I could just wear nothing…"

"You're killing me."

"See you at twelve-thirty, Dr. Hunt."

"Kate?"

"Yes?"

"I…can't wait."

After they hung up, Megan drove herself crazy with 'what ifs' for half the night.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Megan and Lacey picked Kate up from her place the next day. Kate looked perfect in her pumpkin-colored sleeveless dress, amber beads and Burberry coat, not far off from the colors Megan had chosen herself. She tried not to fixate on whether or not this was some lesbian phenomenon they were falling into without realizing it. The truth was, with Lacey in tow and looking adorable as always, they really did look like a family. Megan didn't mind at all.

Kate insisted on bringing flowers. She was used to bringing a side dish and at least one dessert to her own family gatherings, but Megan assured her that Joan would have everything catered. Still, it was not in her Southern upbringing to show up to someone's home empty-handed.

"Happy Thanksgiving, my darling!" Joan exclaimed, throwing her arms around her granddaughter. Megan had intentionally pushed Lacey ahead as a buffer. So far it was working perfectly. After ushering Lacey inside, however, Joan looked back and forth between the two women who remained on the porch.

"Dr. Murphy. What on earth are you doing here?"

Kate opened her mouth to respond, but Megan cut her off.

"I invited her, mother. You always say the more the merrier."

Joan sighed, exasperated.

"I'm assuming you've resolved your differences then?"

"I think it's safe to say that, yes," Megan smiled awkwardly.

"Well then, welcome," Joan air kissed the sides of Kate's cheeks.

"Thanks, your honor," Kate responded, handing her the flowers.

"No no, not so formal today!"

Megan rolled her eyes at the lie. Her mother didn't know the definition of "informal."

"It's been an absolute hell of a morning," Joan continued as they followed her into the kitchen. "The caterers were over an hour late, and they only brought half the amount of yams I ordered. Not to mention…"

Megan looked at Kate apologetically while her mother continued her tirade, but the blonde only smiled.

Soon they were sitting at a table that was about as long as a stretch limousine, certainly more suited for royalty than the eccentric and tedious group that flanked it now. The food was delicious, Megan had to admit, but it only began to make up for the lackluster conversation. Kate, however, seemed to be able to hold her own. She was used to schmoozing.

"I hear you run a tight ship over there, Dr. Murphy," some gray-haired little troll of a man spouted off.

"I make sure we take care of business. What do you think, Megan?" she tried to bring her into the loop.

Megan smiled as politely as she could, though she was obviously dripping with disdain.

"You keep me on my toes," she smirked, before inhaling another scoop of green bean casserole. "But you're no slave driver."

"It must be tough dealing with all those good 'ole boys in the force," the troll's wife chimed in.

Kate was obviously used to this kind of banter. Megan watched her dazzle them with her charm, cutting off all doubts about her ability to function as Chief, despite that fact that she came equipped with ovaries.

Once they were on to pie and coffee, Megan had taken to playing games with Lacey while Kate continued to humor the other guests.

"I spy…something…brown," Megan didn't even bother to whisper.

"Hmm," Lacey tried to guess. "The table?"

"No."

"The wood floor?"

"Nope. I'll give you a hint. It's on a person, and it used to belong to someone else."

Lacey glanced around at the people near them. Her eyes landed on the man sitting two seats down from Megan. His hair was brown, and it was an obvious toupee. She looked back at her mother, who raised her eyebrows and slowly mouthed "Bingo." Lacey snorted. Joan witnessed this display and shook her head.

"Megan, may I speak with you for a moment. In the kitchen," she demanded as politely as she could.

"I'm in trouble," she whispered to Lacey as she got up and followed her mother. She glanced back at Kate, who looked at her with a touch of sympathy.

"What do you think you're doing?" Joan spat impatiently once they were safely out of earshot from everyone else.

"Entertaining ourselves. Come on, you think Lacey really has anything in common with these people?"

"That's not what I meant. Don't play dumb. You think I don't know my own daughter?"

"Actually, no, I don't."

"Well I know more than you think. I've never seen you look at someone like that. Not even Todd."

Megan felt her skin get clammy.

"Uh…what look…"

"What kind of example is this to set for Lacey, Megan? You've already lost too many years due to your selfishness."

"I have no idea what you're insin…"

"You're going to embarrass me, and yourself. You think that woman will stay with you? Obviously she's some kind of sex maniac and can't help herself, but you…you're way too smart to do be doing something so stupid."

Megan couldn't believe her mother was confronting her about this. That she was able to surmise anything from a few glances between her and Kate would have been impressive had it not also been frightening. She realized she could continue to deny it, or proceed like she had done nothing wrong, which she hadn't.

"Okay, I don't know how you figured it out, but congratulations, mother, you're right. I'm happy for once in my life. I guess it would be far too much to ask for you to be happy for me too."

"You expect me to be happy that you're having an affair with your female boss and flaunting it in front of me and all of my friends, not to mention my granddaughter?"

"First of all, we're not flaunting anything. I'm not holding her hand, we haven't kissed in front of anyone. I wasn't even going to tell you until…"

"Megan, this has to stop. Please. I'm asking you to end this before anyone else gets word of it."

"You mean before it ruins your chances at winning the election?"

"I'm not just thinking about me here. Lacey…"

"Lacey is an adult! You think she doesn't know? You think she's as closed-minded as you are? Wake up, mother. Not everyone's stuck in the dark ages."

Joan stared her down. Megan tried to remember she was no longer a teenager, but as strong as she was trying to be in the face of this barrage of guilt, she couldn't help but feel like she'd been caught. Her mother managed to tap into fears she had buried underneath laughs and goosebumps and orgasms. She tried to fight them off, but some of them managed to stick.

"Finish your dessert and then I want you to leave," Joan seethed. "Lacey can stay if she'd like. I'll send her home later."

Megan could hardly breathe let alone formulate a response. She turned without saying another word and went back to the dining room. Kate immediately noticed how shaken she was. She leaned towards her and tried to ask what was wrong. Megan couldn't help but shrink back from her a little, the venom her mother had released making her react in ways she did not intend.

"It's time to go," she whispered.

"Already?" Lacey looked only a little disappointed.

"You can stay if you want."

"No. I'm coming with you guys."

The three excused themselves, much to the chagrin of Kate's admirers. Megan grabbed their coats while Lacey went over to her grandmother and said goodbye. Joan looked like she was going to rise to bid farewell to Kate and Megan, lest she compromise the appearance that they were anything but the perfect family, but Megan ushered them all out the door before she could get close.

Once they were in the car, Kate finally spoke.

"What was that about?"

"What do you think?"

"She knows? How?"

"Because she's a fucking demon, that's why," Megan snarled. She looked back at Lacey in the rearview mirror. "Sorry."

"What did she say?" Lacey asked, cringing.

"Oh, I don't think you want me to repeat it." She looked over at Kate, wanting to pretend like everything was fine, but unable to shake some of her mother's words.

"I'm…sorry if I did anything to…" Kate began slowly.

Megan's heart sank.

"No," she said quietly. "You didn't."

They rode in silence for a while before Lacey reminded them of where they were supposed to be heading next.

"I know it probably isn't the best time, but you promised."

"I know, honey. It's okay."

They pulled into the cemetery lot a few minutes later. It was exceptionally chilly as they walked across the grass in their heels. Lacey found the headstone first. She looked down at her father's grave, trying to figure out what she should say or do. Megan put her arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"It feels longer than six months," Lacey admitted.

"A lot's happened since then," Megan soothed.

"Do you mind if I have a few minutes by myself?"

"Take your time."

She and Kate walked back across the lawn and leaned against the car.

"I didn't expect her to understand," Megan went back to analyzing the situation with her mother. "But I didn't expect quite that level of vitriol either."

"My parents would have been worse," Kate assured her. "Or, will be. Trust me."

Megan looked at the blonde and still saw traces of guilt on her face. She timidly reached for her hand before squeezing it more firmly.

"I refuse to take any of this out on you. It's not fair," Megan whispered. "You and I are the only ones who get to decide whether this is right or not."

Kate squeezed back, but looked concerned.

"You mean you haven't decided?"

Megan allowed herself to let the question register. As much as her mother had thrown her off with the "sex maniac" assertion, when she looked at Kate and remembered all the moments they'd spent laughing, crying, sharing memories from their past, making new memories with Lacey, she refused to believe any of the doubts Joan tried to plant in her head.

She didn't even bother to check if anyone else could see them before she leaned closer to the blonde and kissed her long enough to make sure there was no question in her mind about how she felt. Still, she wanted to tell her. She promised herself she would. Soon.


	25. Chapter 25

Sunday afternoon, Megan exchanged another teary goodbye with her daughter at the airport. Lacey promised to call more often and keep her mother better informed of what was happening in her life. Megan hoped against hope she would follow through with that promise.

This left her and Kate alone for the rest of the evening, giving Megan the perfect opportunity to make her feelings known, if she could work up the courage.

"What should we do tonight?" Megan mused.

Kate shrugged as she sat on the couch, flipping through the _Vogue_ Lacey left on the table. "We could just order take out."

Truth be told, Megan would have been fine staying in and keeping the blonde all to herself, but somehow she felt the occasion was worthy of more thought and attention.

"Or," Megan took a deep breath as she sat next to her, putting a hand on her knee. "How about I take you out?"

Kate looked up at her, eyebrow arched.

"Take _me_ out? What happened to splitting everything?"

Megan shrugged back. "Sometimes I feel like treating you. Is that okay?"

She watched Kate's smirk slowly melt into a smile.

* * *

><p>After dining at Zahav, one of their favorite restaurants in Philly, Megan suggested they go for a walk. At first Kate tried to argue, considering how cold it was, but Megan's face gave way to how much she was trying to set the scene. Kate didn't have the heart to let her down.<p>

Snow began lightly falling as they made their way across the bridge several blocks from their office. The lights floating in the river made it feel like they were in Venice, if they tuned out the distant sound of sirens. Megan couldn't have written it any better had she tried. Her natural resistance to romantic overtures threatened to kick-in, but she fought against it. Kate deserved this, and so did she.

"Hey," Megan stopped Kate in her tracks, gently grabbing her hand. Kate looked around them, still unsure about being seen in public together, even though there appeared to be no one else around this late on a Sunday evening.

"I like this spot," Megan explained, keeping hold of Kate's hand as she leaned against the railing. "Always have."

"Hmm," Kate mused. "I seem to remember finding you here a couple times."

She stood next to Megan, huddling close, keeping their fingers entwined through their gloves.

"I usually come here to think," Megan continued. "When things seem hopeless or so mundane I can't imagine what good could be left in the world. But I haven't felt like that in a long time."

"Good," Kate smiled. "You're starting to see there's more to life beyond the darkness."

"Much more," Megan swallowed. "You've helped me see it."

Kate smiled, but looked skeptical.

"I don't know if I…"

"You have."

She turned towards the blonde, stroking the side of her cheek, bringing her thumb to rest on her lower lip.

"I know we haven't been together for very long," Megan began. "But…you've made me see things…in myself, in others…I mean…" She began to blush profusely. Admittedly, she wasn't very good at this, but Kate thought it was adorable. Still, she decided to help her along.

"Just say it," she urged the redhead.

Megan cocked her head to the side, playfully glaring at her.

"You know what I want to say?"

"Pretty sure I do."

"Would _you_ like say it then?" she laughed nervously.

"I would," Kate assured. "But I don't want to steal your thunder. After all, you're supposed to be treating me."

Megan sighed, looking down at their hands, then back up into Kate's eyes.

"Kate Murphy…I don't know exactly how you've done it, but you've managed to make me fall completely in love with you."

Kate smiled and kissed Megan softly, confidently, smoothing her cheeks, not caring about anyone else who may have been watching.

"Thanks for finally catching up," she whispered.

The two continued to kiss, forgetting about the weather, the time, and the rest of the world.


	26. Chapter 26

Later that week, Megan sat in her office looking up research on a rare disease one of their victims tested positive for, when Ethan knocked timidly as he entered.

"Yes," she absently responded, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"Uh, Dr. Hunt, there's someone here to see you."

Megan looked up into the face of a woman who looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn't place where she knew her from. Dressed casually in jeans and a trench, the woman smiled at her curiously.

"You are?"

"Evelyn Wilde," Ethan answered for the woman.

Megan continued to look at her quizzically as Evelyn turned back to Ethan.

"Would you mind?" she asked politely.

"Sure," he apologized. "I'll be out here if you need anything."

Megan nodded and motioned for him to close the door.

"What can I do for you Ms. Wilde?"

"You can call me Evelyn," she continued to smile faintly, taking a seat across from her. Now it was her turn to stare at Megan's face. She appeared to be studying it.

"Evelyn. Do we… know each other?"

Evelyn kept smiling, even as she played with the cuffs of her jacket nervously.

"I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just going to say it," she sighed. "We're sisters."

Megan's heart did a back flip in her chest. She laughed awkwardly, immediately running through the possibilities, the most favorable and least likely of which was that this was some kind of joke Ethan and Curtis had concocted.

"I beg your pardon. How do you…"

"Your father had an affair with my mother in 1974."

Megan felt the bile rising in her chest, threatening to fill her throat. There were no tears, not yet, though the year 1974—the year of her father's alleged suicide—hit her eardrums like cinder blocks.

"My father died in 1974."

"I know. I read about it. Mom tried to keep his identity a secret. I didn't try to search out of respect for her, but right before she died last year, I asked again and she told me. Since then I've been doing my research and finally decided I should come and meet you."

Megan's temples were throbbing. "So you're sure?"

"Positive. I'd be happy to get a DNA test to prove it, but looking at you I'd say it's pretty obvious."

Megan couldn't help but laugh again, even as her eyes welled up. It was stunning how alike they looked, the familiarity she saw when Evelyn walked through the door now a clear reflection.

"Are you okay?" Evelyn asked.

"Yeah," Megan sniffed. "Sorry, this is just..."

"Crazy? I know. And I'm not here to ask you for anything or make your life harder in any way," Evelyn assured. "I just wanted to let you know that I exist, and should you ever want to get together, share stories maybe, I'd like to know more about our dad. And you."

Megan glanced at the manila envelope on the other side of her desk, partially hidden under a stack of medical books. Either the universe had brilliant and miraculous ways of bringing everything together, or this was one of the greatest coincidences of all time. Until this moment, she had little to no reason to believe there was any kind of turmoil going on in her father's life that would have led him to kill himself. Now, nothing seemed certain.

"I don't want to keep you," Evelyn interrupted her thoughts. "I'll just leave my information. Give me a call sometime, when you're ready."

"Thanks," Megan responded in a daze as she took the card from her sister's hand.

The brunette turned the leave, but before she could, Megan was compelled to ask one more question.

"Evelyn?"

"Yes?"

"Did your mother give you any details about their relationship?"

"Not much," Evelyn smiled sadly. "Just that she loved him."

Megan nodded.

"I'll be in touch."


	27. Chapter 27

That evening, Megan relayed the whole story to Kate. She had done some research of her own that afternoon, confirming Evelyn's story. She sat curled up under the blanket on Kate's couch, and the blonde made sure her wine glass stayed full at all times.

"Why now?" Megan groaned.

"Why not? When do things ever happen when you want them to?"

"You're right," Megan sighed, taking another sip of Rosé. "Besides, it's not like there's ever a good time to find out your entire childhood was a lie. Might as well get it over with now."

Kate rolled her eyes a little at the melodrama, egged on by Megan's tipsiness. Still, she understood how difficult this must be. After topping off her own glass, she joined Megan on the couch, pulling her feet onto her lap.

"Did you tell her about the plans to exhume?" Kate asked.

"No."

Megan shifted uncomfortably. She finally put her glass down and beckoned for Kate to come closer. She wrapped her arms around the blonde, who looked at her with as much kindness and understanding as she could.

"I know how hard you worked to get this," Megan began cautiously. "I appreciate it beyond anything anyone's ever done for me. But…now that things are more complicated, knowing he had this whole other life going on, I don't know if I want to stir it back up again. Maybe it's better to just respect the decisions he made, love him for who he was."

Kate couldn't argue with that. As much as she worried Megan might regret her decision if she let this opportunity slip away, she could see the appeal in putting things to rest.

"Don't worry about disappointing me," Kate whispered. "This is your choice. Whatever you decide, I support you."

Megan pulled her closer and held on for dear life, wondering once again how she'd gotten so lucky. She pulled back to look into those intoxicatingly blue eyes, and brought her lips to Kate's mouth. She kissed her sweetly, sucking in each of her lips, paying attention to the corners too, exploring every centimeter as if it were their first time. Kate ran her fingers through Megan's red hair and breathed deeply as Megan moved on to her jaw, then her neck.

"You're not entirely sober, are you?' Kate noted cheekily.

Megan laughed. "At least you can be sure it's not the alcohol this time."

Kate softly chuckled before kissing Megan fiercely, wrapping her legs around her more tightly, straddling her against the arm of the couch. It was a reverse from the first time they'd made love, in this same spot, only a few short months before. Megan raised her arms above her head and Kate slid her orange sweater up over ample breasts, over her wrists and dropped it behind them. She grabbed Megan's hands and kept them above her head, bringing her lips down to her chest, where she licked and sucked between her cleavage. Megan gasped and lifted her hips, slowly grinding them up between Kate's legs.

The two soon relocated to the bedroom where they could stretch out more comfortably, losing the rest of their clothing along the way. Kate continued to kiss down Megan's chest, stopping at her navel and licking furiously inside her belly button, which caused Megan to burst out laughing. Kate pinned her legs down and continued to kiss over her hip.

"Come here," Megan gasped as she tried to regain control. She wanted Kate's face more than anything, wanted her close. The blonde made her way back up until their lips finally met, and they lapped at each other's tongues, trying to become as enmeshed as they could. Kate traced her fingers between Megan's thighs until she spread them for her. She drove her fingers inside so softly and smoothly. Megan threw her head back, smiling even as her breath grew more labored. She reached down frantically and grabbed Kate's mound, firmly but gracefully, and the blonde responded by thrusting another finger inside.

"Ah!" Megan moaned. "I…yes…"

"I love you," Kate whispered into her ear.

Megan pressed into Kate's wetness, feeling all of the warm ridges inside, diving in and out. They each desperately sought to reach as deep as they could into the other. Megan used her thumb to rub Kate's clit as she continued to ride her fingers. The blonde stretched back, bringing Megan with her, and soon Megan was on top, Kate's head now resting at the foot of the bed. Megan sloppily, lovingly licked behind her ear and over her neck and collarbone as she continued to use Kate's wetness to get her off. Kate sped up the rhythm of her hand, fucking Megan as sweetly as she could.

Soon the redhead was clenching around her fingers, and Kate felt the warm liquid drip down her wrist as she came. Megan cried out, then quickly recovered, dragging her hair across Kate's belly, making her way to the glistening pink strip between her thighs. Megan pushed her tongue inside Kate's cunt and grabbed onto her ass to keep her in place. Kate squirmed like Megan had never before witnessed, and after flicking her tongue against her pulsing redness, the blonde finally came against her lips, continuing to shiver for several minutes after her orgasm.

Megan crawled back up onto Kate's chest and kissed her hard, letting her taste herself. Finally, they were able to make it back to the top of the bed, where they pulled the covers over themselves and held each other.

"That's one way to take my mind off things," Megan joked.

"Thought it might work," Kate smiled. "At least for a little while."

"If I start to feel overwhelmed again, I guess we'll just have to keep going."

"You're relentless."

"You like it," Megan smirked.


	28. Chapter 28

Megan was happy to hear from Lacey on Sunday, but could immediately tell her daughter was unhappy.

"It's just…"

"What, honey?"

"He's in half my classes. And he's friends with Jamie. Now she's acting weird around me too."

Megan sighed. She hated to hear Lacey caught up in this kind of drama, but was resigned to the fact that she couldn't protect her from everything. Still, she wanted to do something.

"If you want to switch dorms, I could..."

Lacey began to sob.

"I want to come home."

Megan's heart sank.

"But Lace…you wanted to go to this school so badly. How can you let other people stop you from…"

"They're everywhere, mom. It's such a small school. Please. I can transfer to Rhode Island in the Spring. I already looked into it."

She had to give her daughter credit. She always seemed a few steps ahead, always had her research in her back pocket. But to give up after only one semester and one failed relationship seemed a bit rash.

"Why don't you take a week or two to think about it?" Megan insisted. "Finish up your semester, and if you still want to transfer by Christmas, we'll make it happen."

Lacey sniffled in agreement before they said their goodbyes. Megan assured her that whatever she chose to do, she'd stand behind her.

* * *

><p>The next day, Megan sauntered into Kate's office a little more enticingly than usual, still on a high from the copious amounts of sex they'd had over the weekend. They both had time for lunch today—a rarity— and planned to make the best of it by heading out across town to one of their favorite burger joints. Megan knocked as she entered, surprised to see Kate's back as she stood facing the window behind her desk.<p>

"You ready?"

When she turned around, the look on her face gave Megan an instant knot in her stomach.

"What?"

Anger and dread painted her expressions. Megan trailed her eyes down to the envelope Kate held in her hand. She stepped forward and took hold of it. Inside were two black and white photos, both of her and Kate standing on the bridge that night in the snow. The first was of them holding hands and looking at eachother affectionately, the next a full on lip lock.

"Where did these come from?"

"My mailbox. No return address. I have forensics working on the original envelope right now, but I wanted to show you the photos first before I hand them over"

"Kate…I'm…"

The blonde shook her head and came to sit on the edge of her desk.

"I've worked _so_ hard to get to where I am today."

Megan's paused, trying to let it all sink in, even as her mind began to race.

"And this affects that…how?"

"Don't be naïve, Megan."

The redhead tried not to take offense, but it was pretty hard, considering.

"You really think this means…"

"Obviously someone's got it out for me. The Health Commissioner's wanted to place one of his Penn State buddies in this position for a long time."

"This is ludicrous. It's an invasion of privacy, blackmail. How can…"

"I've been offered a job at Carnegie Mellon Med School," Kate cut her off. "Teaching position."

Megan glared at her now.

"Were you going to tell me about it?" she practically growled.

"Only if I was considering taking it, which I wasn't until now."

"Do you think you'd be happy doing that?"

"I've thought about teaching for a long time. I enjoy mentoring."

"But full time? And who would take your place here?"

Kate raised an eyebrow, urging Megan to answer her own question.

"No…no no, I am not cut out for administration, you know that."

"We can't continue pretending like everything's fine. This is a fantasy."

Megan felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She sat next to Kate on the desk and tried to steady herself.

"Are you saying…" she tried not to choke up. "You don't want to be with me?"

"No!" Kate looked at her, exasperated. "I'm saying we need to figure out what to do."

"Because it sounds to me like…"

"Megan," Kate grabbed her shoulder and looked at her with equal parts affection and aggravation. "I love you. But we can't keep working together, hiding, acting like everything is perfect. We have to fix this."

Megan nodded, sadly. She knew they had been ignoring the inevitable for some time. It was impossible to keep this to themselves. In one way or another, their relationship would soon no longer be just their business.

"Why don't we talk to someone before we decide anything?"

"Like who?"

"Curtis," Megan suggested. "Let him in on what's going on, have him do the forensics so we can keep this as low key as possible until we figure out what to do."

Kate sighed loudly. She didn't like it, but she didn't have any better ideas.

"Follow me," she said, letting go of Megan's shoulder and urging her to come to the lab. Megan tried to keep it together, for both their sakes. Whoever did this would be very sorry indeed.


	29. Chapter 29

Curtis turned around to find himself confronted by the two women.

"It was Ethan."

"What?" Kate asked, taken aback.

"Whatever ya'll are about to yell at me for."

"No, Curtis, Ethan didn't…listen, we just need to talk to you about something."

"I see." He hesitantly pulled up a chair from one of the nearby desks and planted himself on it. "I got a feeling I'mma need to sit for this."

Kate tried not to turn too many shades of red before she proceeded.

"Curtis…Megan and I...for the past few months we've been…"

"Doin' the nasty."

The two women stood in shock for a minute.

"Excuse me?" Kate glared at him.

"What? Ya'll think you're stealthy or somethin'? Runnin' around like two damn teenagers, sneaking off together, stayin' after hours. Don't even try to deny it. Everybody knows. "

Finally, Megan managed to speak.

"Curtis…are you sure _everybody_…"

"Errrryboooody."

"Great," Kate began pacing.

"Tell you the truth, Kate, I really wasn't all that surprised. But Megan, damn! What's gotten into you?"

"That's enough, Curtis. We don't need a play-by-play. Thanks," Kate barked.

The man shrank back a little bit before continuing. "So why you tellin' me all of a sudden?"

"The thing is," Megan tried again. "This is not just some fling." She looked over at Kate, who would not make eye contact. "We're actually really happy together."

"Well good!" Curtis declared. "If ya'll are happy, I'm happy. Now can I please go back to…"

"There are photos," Kate blurted out.

Now it was his turn to blush.

"What… kind of photos?"

"Not like that," Kate quickly corrected. "Just pictures of us. Kissing. In public."

"Well what were ya'll doin'? You know people crazy."

"It was late!" Megan defended. "And it was a special night. We didn't know anyone was watching."

"Somebody's always watchin'. Always."

Megan sighed. Her anxiety continued to grow as Kate stopped pacing and leaned against the window, shutting her eyes.

"What do you think we should do?" Kate finally asked.

"About what?"

"You say people already know."

"Mmmhmm."

"If I step down," Kate swallowed. "Do you think Megan could still…"

"Step down! What in the hell?"

"Obviously we can't go on like this," she continued. "It's bound to affect people's work."

Curtis shook his head. "You think it's affected anything so far?"

Kate looked to Megan. Megan shrugged.

"Not that I'm aware of, but… are you sure…even Peter?"

"Peter, Sam, Detective Morris, everybody!"

"Everybody," Ethan assured as he popped up from his desk across the lab, quickly making an exit. The three jumped. Curtis cursed under his breath.

"Why hasn't anyone said anything then?" Kate questioned.

"See, now you asking me to talk about other people's business, and I don't really like to…"

Megan slammed her hands on his desk, giving him the death glare. She hated to do it, but she needed for Kate to not be upset anymore. Curtis rolled his eyes, but quickly caved.

"Well, most people around here are scared of both of you, for obvious reasons," he glared back at them. "Peter was pretty bent outta shape by it at first. You know, he's kinda…sensitive…when it comes to Megan."

Megan closed her eyes. Kate just shook her head.

"Bud just seems confused," Curtis continued. "But Sam pretty much told them both to keep their mouths shut, let ya'll tell people when you're ready."

"So you mean to tell me that no one on our staff has a problem with this?" Kate cut in. "Or thinks it's in any way compromising?"

"I can't speak for the whole team, but I'd say ya'll got enough respect, you shouldn't have to worry about nothin'. I know you probably worried 'bout City Hall, but all the good you two do for this city, it'd look pretty terrible for someone to try to make a mess outta things."

Kate finally glanced over at Megan, who was picking at her cuticles. "Thanks Curtis," she whispered. "We'll think about everything and get back to you."

Before he could leave, the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner turned to his boss and good friend.

"Please don't go. Neither of you," he pleaded. "Place wouldn't be the same without you."


	30. Chapter 30

After meeting with Curtis, Kate had to rush back to her office for a conference call, leaving Megan to spend the rest of the day wrapping up her work and fretting about the conversation they needed to have later.

The blonde finally knocked at her door around nine o'clock. Megan stared at her for a moment, praying she wasn't in for any more surprises.

"Can I come in?" Kate asked.

She stepped aside. Kate put her bag down and followed Megan to the couch.

"Look," Kate began gently. "I know I should have handled things differently today. I'm sorry."

Megan nodded slowly, having had time to process everything.

"I can't say I would've reacted differently if I were in your position. I just…"

She took a deep breath. Kate reached for her hand and pulled it into her lap. Megan turned towards her.

"I just don't see why we have to hide," she continued. "We're both consenting adults. It's not unheard of for people who work together to fall in love.

Kate smiled, but Megan could still read the skepticism behind her eyes.

"This," she pulled Kate's hand toward her chest and held it there. Kate could feel the beating beneath her skin. "This is not something I'm ashamed of."

"I'm not ashamed either," Kate insisted. "But I've worked so hard at keeping my personal life personal. I never even fathomed the idea that I could live my life with that level of honesty."

"I'm not saying we have to throw the doors wide open," Megan clarified. "I like my privacy too. But I refuse to let someone, anyone, think that they can threaten our livelihoods by outing us."

"Seems like an inevitability," Kate sighed.

"Well, if it is, then I'd rather do it on our own terms."

"What do you mean?"

Megan held Kate's face between her hands, bringing their noses together, looking her dead in the eye.

"I want to go events at City Hall with you," she spoke softly. "I want to stand behind you at press conferences if you need me to be there, hold your hand walking down the street and not worry for a second about who might be watching." She brushed her fingers over Kate's lips. "I want to kiss you goodbye at the airport when you have to go out of town for a conference, and I want to be here to make you dinner when you come home."

"But you can't cook."

They both laughed hard at this, but Megan noted the tears forming in Kate's eyes. The blonde nodded furiously as she kissed her.

Just then, Megan's phone rang. It was the office.

"Megan Hunt."

Kate watched Megan's face change as she listened to the person on the other end.

"You're sure? Uh huh. Yes. No, I'll take care of it. Thanks, Curtis."

After she hung up, she shook her head and stared at the ceiling, cursing under her breath, before laughing out loud again.

"What?"

"Curtis got an I.D. on the pictures."

Kate was certain she had never seen a more blissfully vengeful look on anyone's face.

Oh yes. They would pay indeed.


	31. Chapter 31

Megan sat at her desk while Kate paced in front of it, back and forth between the door and the window, anxiously peering through both.

"Sit!" Megan finally whispered, forcefully. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Easy for you to say," Kate scoffed. "You've done this before."

Megan smirked at her as she sat on the edge of her desk. She slid her fingers across the wood before grazing Kate's lower back. Kate playfully glared over her shoulder as the com buzzed on Megan's phone.

"Yes?"

"She's here," the receptionist confirmed.

"Great," Megan answered. "Thanks for the heads up."

Moments later, their guest stepped into the office.

"Well. I wasn't expecting to have an audience with both of you."

"Hello, Joan," Kate smiled.

"Dr. Murphy," Joan very formally returned the greeting as she took a seat. "So, what is this urgent matter I just had to step away from my busy schedule to come down here for?"

Megan rose from behind her desk, powerfully, gracefully. She strode towards Kate and sat as close as she could without sitting on her lap. She watched Joan visibly swallow. Keeping her eyes on her mother, she reached behind her and grabbed the envelope with the photos inside before handing it over. Looking baffled, Joan opened it and peeked inside before bringing the pictures into the light, glancing them over quickly before stuffing them back into the envelope.

"What are these?"

"Someone took them when we were on a date," Megan informed her. "And then sent them anonymously to Kate's mailbox."

"Heavens," Joan appeared to be outraged. "Why on earth would someone do this?"

"Obviously they knew it could have consequences," Kate explained. "Not just for me, but..."

"The election," Megan dove right in. "Your constituents are bound to have a field day with this."

"Well, certainly they're not going to see them. I'm sure this was just some prank. But I'm sure the two of you will want to be more careful going forward," she shifted uncomfortably.

Megan shook her head. "It's too late for that."

"We contacted the local papers," Kate continued. "Every editor already received their own package of photos, ready to print."

Joan turned beet red.

"I…What?"

"But we told them if they waited just a few more days to run the story, we'd be happy to give them the inside scoop to go along with it," Megan smirked.

"You can't be serious?" Joan was beginning to sweat.

"What choice do we have?" Kate intervened. "Either we let them terrorize us or we show people we're more than happy to give them a glimpse into our lives."

"How can…how can you, as Chief Medical Examiner of Philadelphia, be so frivolous with your image?"

"It's not frivolity to be proud of who you are, mother."

"Well I think this is foolish!" Joan finally shouted. "Seriously, Megan, how can you be so stupid!"

"Stupid!" Megan finally broke down. "You want to talk about stupid! Who gets their underpaid, long-suffering personal assistant to send blackmail photos to their daugther's partner in the mail? Her partner, who happens to have access to the best forensics equipment there is?"

"I have no idea what your…"

"Don't deny it," Megan bit back. "At least give us the decency of coming clean now that you've been caught."

"Caught? What am I, some suspect of yours now?"

"You should be for what you've done. I told Kate to press charges. Lucky for you, she refuses."

Joan stole a glance over at Kate, who was now looking down at her shoes, obviously uncomfortable. The blonde felt eyes on her and slowly looked up into Joan's face.

"Can't you understand?" Joan pleaded. "I've worked my whole life to be a figure of respect in this community. Surely you've aspired to do the same. How can you let your lifestyle choices interfere with what chances you have at a lasting career?"

"Okay, first of all," Kate started. "My relationship with Megan is not a 'lifestyle choice.' It's an important part of my life. And if the people who put me in this position can't understand that, then they can just as readily take me out. But I refuse to only acknowledge part of who I am."

Megan beamed at Kate. For a moment, she got lost in how proud she was of her, until Joan's voice broke through again.

"You're not really going to have these published?" Joan seethed.

"No, mother," Megan clarified. "Jonathan didn't actually send copies to the papers. But what if they had leaked somehow? How would you have felt then?"

Joan stood, gathering her coat and bag.

"I would _never_ have put any of us in that situation."

"Well, you better prepare yourself," Megan threatened. "Because we may not be making headlines this week, but we're certainly not going to take pains to keep our relationship a secret. People will find out. They will talk, and you're going to have to deal with it."

"How incredibly selfish," Joan glared, at both of them.

"Out!" Megan shouted.

Joan turned on her heels and left without saying another word.

Megan returned to her chair and put her head down on the desk.

"That was…"

"Typical Joan Hunt!" Megan groaned.

"I give you credit for surviving past puberty."

Megan sat up and looked at Kate. The blonde's smile softened her mood.

"You were great standing up to her like that," Megan smiled.

"I've had practice," Kate smirked.

Megan pulled the photos out from the envelope and looked at them again.

"I think we should get these framed."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"What? They're good. At least John's fingerprints didn't mess them up too badly."

Kate pulled the photos from Megan's hands and shook her head.

"See you tonight, Dr. Hunt."


	32. Chapter 32

Several weeks later, Lacey was home for the holidays and had decided with certainty that she wanted to transfer to RISD. Megan was not entirely thrilled with the decision, but kept her word to let Lacey do what she felt was best for her. Truth be told, she wouldn't mind having her closer to home.

"How does this look?" Megan asked as she walked into the living room. Lacey looked up at her mother from the couch.

"Wow," Lacey grinned. "You look beautiful."

She wore a green, velvet dress that perfectly complimented her auburn hair. Her diamond and emerald necklace sparkled against her chest.

"Thanks," she called back to her as she grabbed her coat off the rack. "I'll be home late. Don't wait up."

"Be careful!"

Megan rolled her eyes. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and went on her way.

* * *

><p>"You ready for this?" Megan asked as she drove towards City Hall. Kate had happily invited her to attend the Christmas party, but Megan could tell she was nervous.<p>

"Ready as I'll ever be," the blonde swallowed. "I spoke to my sister this afternoon."

"Really?" Megan was taken aback. "That's…how'd it go?"

"I told her I was seeing someone…a woman. Didn't want to give her all the details just yet."

"And?"

"And…she said she was fine with it, but not to tell mom and dad."

"Well…that's sort of what you expected."

"She said dad hasn't been doing well. His heart."

"Sorry to hear that…" Megan trailed off. "So…she's afraid telling him would make his condition worse?"

"Can you believe it? What kind of person put's that kind of pressure on someone else?"

"Homophobes, that's who."

"But she said _she_ doesn't have a problem with it," Kate continued. "She even asked when she could visit."

"I don't get the whole 'I accept you, but others won't, so better keep your mouth shut' attitude. Either you're supportive, or you're not."

Kate shook her head. "It's complicated, Megan."

Megan noted how heavily this was weighing on her.

"Hey," she whispered. "It'll be alright. You can visit your folks if you need to. I'll be here when you get back."

"I have to think about it," Kate sighed. She straightened out her cobalt blue gown as they approached their destination. When they got out of the car, she reached for Megan's hand, which took the redhead by surprise. Megan happily accepted it, and the two walked into the marble building arm in arm.

Hundreds of city officials and politicians greeted them. Several looked down at their hands clasped before quickly returning to their faces, never acknowledging anything but how lovely the two looked. Kate propelled them through the crowd as best she could, trying to make their way towards the bar, until they finally ran into someone they couldn't surpass with small talk.

"Kate Murphy!" Barbara Knox, district attorney, greeted them. "What a pleasure!"

She air kissed either side of Kate's face. Megan squeezed her hand.

"And who's this?" Barbara added, patronizingly.

"My partner, Megan Hunt."

Barbara's cheeks turned a little pink as she grinned from ear to ear.

"I'm assuming you don't mean business partner?"

Kate smiled charmingly, as only she could. Megan remained neutral.

"You're correct," Kate acknowledged. "Though we do make a great forensics team. Megan's the best M.E. I've ever had the privilege of working with."

Megan blushed. She was used to hearing it by now, but it never ceased to make her feel ecstatic.

"Well," Barbara mused. "That…is…interesting." She laughed awkwardly. "Glad everything's worked out for you."

Kate nodded. Silence filled the space between them as Barbara's eyes scanned her body. Megan cleared her throat.

"Nice to meet you, Barbara," Megan grinned through gritted teeth, then turned to Kate. "Shall we?"

The two finally made it to the bar. After ordering their drinks, Megan looked at Kate, batting her eyelashes over her martini glass.

"So," she smirked. "Barbara Knox?"

Kate coughed. "Never happened."

"_What_ never happened?" Megan continued to torment her.

"She…" Kate shifted. "I was an expert witness on one of her cases. When it was over, she kept calling for a while, took me to lunch. That was it."

"I see," Megan's cheeks turned red. She wasn't really worried at all. She just enjoyed seeing Kate squirm a little. She could tell, however, that the blonde was finished being interrogated. "Care to dance, Dr. Murphy?"

Kate arched an eyebrow.

"Why? So you can try to make Barbara jealous?"

"I don't think we have to try very hard," Megan whispered, noting that the woman was still watching them from across the room.

"Megan…"

"Kate," Megan grabbed her hand. "I wouldn't care if the room was full of Barbaras or completely empty. Even if there was no music, I'd still want to dance with you."

The blonde licked her lips nervously before giving her the biggest smile she'd ever seen. They each finished their drink and made their way to the dance floor.


	33. Epilogue

_Three Years Later_

"Congratulations, Ethan," Kate shook the young man's hand.

"Thanks, Dr. Murphy. It means a lot."

"When's your official last day?" Megan asked.

"I need a few days to move to Pitt, get situated in the new place before starting, so probably Wednesday."

"Deputy Chief. Gotta say, I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you," Megan smiled.

Ethan blushed as he pushed his glasses further up on his nose.

"Thanks, Megan."

He stuck out his hand, but she pulled him in for the hug.

"What's up with Curtis?" Kate noticed the man sitting in the corner of the break room, eating a big slice of chocolate cake by himself.

"Oh, him?" Ethan whispered. "He won't admit it, but he's pretty beside himself."

Curtis's eyes bugged out when he caught them watching. He tossed the plate into the trash and headed back to the lab.

"Poor thing," Megan shook her head.

"Yeah, I told him we can still hang together when I come to town. That and I think he's realized he's gonna have to find someone else to blame things on around here."

The two women chuckled as Bud and Sam approached them.

"Well, well, big man. We're gonna miss ya around here," Bud said as he playfully punched Ethan in the shoulder.

"I'm gonna miss you guys too. How's the baby?"

"Ah, she's a terror. Love her to death, but pretty soon I think she's gonna need a weekend with her godmothers." He gave Kate and Megan a pleading look.

"We'd be happy to," Kate assured.

"You two ever considered having one of your own?" Sam smirked.

"We talked about it, but we're pretty satisfied with borrowing them from other people once in a while," Megan laughed. "Besides, we've got Lacey. She may be turning twenty one next year, but she's still my baby."

"How's she doing in school?" Ethan asked.

"Excellent," Megan proudly touted.

"Actually, we're going to visit her in Spain next week before she comes home from studying abroad," Kate beamed.

"That's fantastic!" Ethan said.

"Yep, finally making it to Europe," Megan cut in. "We're thinking we might steal away to France and Italy for a few days, you know, since we'll already be there."

Peter strolled up to them a few moments later and put his arm around Ethan's shoulders.

"Well, buddy," he began. "At least one of us is making it out of here alive."

"Come on, Peter," Megan chided. "We're not that horrible."

"No," he admitted. "I was just trying to make him feel better. When he gets to Pittsburgh, hopefully he'll realize what he's missing out on and come back to the family."

"No way!" Kate gently nudged. "Ethan, we love you, but stay put."

"Oh trust me, I will. I know it'll be tough at first, but I appreciate you gently pushing me out of the nest."

The gang continued to laugh and enjoy the rest of the party. They even eventually got Curtis to come back from his seclusion and give a tearful going away speech for his best friend.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Kate pulled her suitcase onto her and Megan's bed and began packing.<p>

"God, I had no idea you were one of those people," Megan needled her as she leaned against the doorframe.

"One of _what_ people?" Kate asked.

"People who start packing so early they end up living out of their luggage a week before their trip."

Kate sighed as she lay down on the bed next to the pile of clothing she had already folded. She looked up at Megan, who was now standing over her.

"Is that a dealbreaker?" she smirked.

Megan leaned down, bringing their noses together.

"No chance in hell," she whispered. Kate smiled. She pushed the laundry onto the floor, pulled Megan onto the bed, and kissed her.


End file.
